Chase Away the Nightmares
by James Storme
Summary: On the planet Aklien, everyone has been having nightmares. Of course, it was an easy fix when the Doctor found the problem. Everything is normal... right?
1. Chapter 1

There was a reason.

There was a reason for a lot of things, but this one was unclear. This one was dark and didn't want to be known. It crawled around in his mind, hiding in the day, waiting for the darkness that it was made of.

There was a name.

There was a name that was hidden like his own. But instead of being hidden in the stars, it was hidden in the darkness. The cruel, suffocating darkness where anything could happen. Anything.

It slithered around in his head; he could feel it, grasping at his thoughts and keeping them. It knew every part of his mind, and it knew what to do. Every time he thought of what it was, it would take the name away from him, making him scrabble in his mind, trying to find the name.

It was dark and cold. So cold that it _burned_. It was a cold that seeped into your bones and never left. It made a home in your secrets, and you would never know when it would strike. It was lethal and deadly in its accuracy. It had no mercy, not for anything, not for anyone.

It was so dark that you couldn't see it, and you probably didn't want to. But it was still _there_, and there still that felling to know what it is, no matter how much it frightened you. He was almost positive that he had seen this before, but where?

It was funny, he thought, as he floated in nothingness. It was familiar, but not familiar at the same time. It was Déjà vu and not Déjà vu at the same time. It was welcomed and not welcomed at the same time.

It was still dark and cold though. He thought he could feel some warmth, but he didn't know where. He thought he saw some light, but it was too far away. The darkness and the coldness were consuming, never ending until there was nothing left.

He supposed that would take a while. He wasn't sure how long exactly, but it would take a while. There were so many things to see in his mind, right? He wasn't really sure, the nothingness was getting to him.

But it was coming back. The cold ran through his veins, making him cringe and shudder. Was he really doing that? It felt like he was, but he couldn't be sure. His mind was burning as it ran around, chasing after his nightmares and making him see them, relive them. The pain, the never ending pain that was harder to deal with at night.

Night.

Night was dark and cold, but it wasn't. It was dim and cool, a soft glowing light that made him feel safe. There was a humming that lulled him to sleep. There was cool air that relaxed his mind, that made the tension of the day go away.

This was something else. This was something that made false statements of the Night. Right? It didn't feel like it. The Night felt like a dream where everything was fine. He was fine, she was fine, and they were fine. The only problem was that he didn't know who she or they were.

Is that a problem? He wasn't sure. If she and they were bad people, then she and they should stay away from his Night. Except, she and they felt like good people, people he could trust. That meant they were welcome in his Night, and she and they should be fine, just like he was fine.

He would keep she and they safe, and she and they would keep him safe. He would hum she and they to sleep, and she and they would hum him to sleep. He would keep them cool after a long day, and she and they would keep him cool after a long day.

He smiled at the thought of she and they. He and she and they could do anything together. But they couldn't. It was still there, it never liked to be forgotten, especially by him.

The darkness was suffocating him again, making him cling to something, but there was nothing. The darkness was cruel and unforgiving. It was lethal and deadly in its accuracy. It had no mercy, not for anything, not for anyone.

How did he know this? He didn't. All he knew was that it was present, and it wouldn't leave. He knew that no one else could know. He knew that this was his burden. He knew that it was _him _made from the darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

The TARDIS lurched and flung the Doctor and Rose at the console as they rode through the time vortex. The Doctor danced around the console at he pushed buttons and flipped switches. Rose clung onto the ledge of the console as she watched him.

His moves were graceful and precise. It seemed that he was dancing to music that only he could hear. That was probably true as he was a bit of a nutter. Rose loved to watch him none the less, and the way he moved around the console was beautiful.

"There we are Rose Tyler." The Doctor's voice broke the spell that she was under. She looked up to see him grinning at her with excitement in his eyes. She returned the grin with a smile of her own as she straightened out her slouched posture.

"So, where are we?" Rose asked as she moved towards the doors. This was her favorite part. The possibility of being anywhere and anywhen was a felling she thought she would never forget and never tire of.

The excitement that rushed through her veins, the anticipation of finding out what lurked outside the TARDIS doors, the knowing that they will have run. This alone would be almost perfect. This alone could almost be the reason that Rose travelled.

It wasn't.

The reason that Rose traveled was because she had the Doctor. She had someone's hand to hold, someone to show her the joys the universe, someone to share life with her. This is why she traveled. She traveled because of the Doctor.

"Why don't you go see?" The Doctor responded as he stood behind her, putting his coat on. She turned around to give him a tongue toughed smile before she walked out the doors.

The planet before her was beautiful. The sky was a soft green color and the grass was a light blue. The trees were orange, and some were pink, scattered across the field. In a valley was a town. A rust red made most of the houses outside color, but there were still splashes of color.

Rose wandered further outside the TARDIS as the Doctor stepped out behind her. Rose took in a deep breath. The air was cool and crisp, but the temperature was perfect for a leisurely stroll. In the distance she could hear children playing in the valley, their laughter sounding like bells in the air.

"So… where are we?" Rose asked again as she turned to look at him.

"This is the planet Aklien!" The Doctor exclaimed with wide arms and a beaming smile. "This planet is known for its berries. Rose, you haven't lived until you have had a moon berry." The Doctor took Rose's hand in his own as they set of for the valley.

As they walked, the Doctor told her the history of the planet. "Aklien is in the constellation Straxon. Known for its various fruits and vegetables that can't be found anywhere else. Some of the best chefs come from here. Rose remind me to have you meet Lizona Ramkaferi. He can make anything."

As the Doctor continued to ramble about Aklien, Rose turned her attention to a couple. They would look completely human if it weren't for the cat ears and tails the people had. The woman looked to be comforting the man, and Rose thought she could hear him say 'dark' and 'cold'.

"Rose… Rose." The Doctor calling her name pulled her out of the thoughts. She quickly turned back to him as they came to a stop.

"Sorry, was jus' looking around. This place 's beautiful." The Doctor continued to stare at her, making her feel uneasy. "What?"

The Doctor blinked as he looked around. "Nothing. Ohh, Rose look! Moon berries!" With that, the Doctor dragged Rose to a little bakery.

The bakery was cozy inside, with a fireplace on the right side of the wall and the smell of treats giving off a tantalizing aroma. The walls were painted a soft yellow giving off a calming glow. Rose looked at all the treats set out. While they looked exotic at first glance, Rose could see that they looked like the treats she had seen in the cafes in London.

The Doctor walked over to the counter holding all the treats, Rose's hand still clasped tightly with the Doctors. As they approached the counter an older woman somewhere in her sixties came to take their order.

"Hello, I take it you're not from Aklien." The woman gave them a warm smile. "Since you're not from here you get a free sample of anything you like." The Doctor began to shake his head in protest, but the woman would have none of it. "I must offer the Aklien hospitality, especially to lovely couple"

The Doctor and Rose began to protest. "Oh no no no we're not together." The Doctor said at the same time as Rose said "We're not- we're- we're jus' friends."

The woman looked at them curiously, studying them closely. "Well that's a shame. Nikan and I were like you in our youth. I suppose it's only a matter of time.

"So, you and Nikan are married?" The Doctor asked, nodding to the complex bracelet on her tail.

"Yep, been married forty five years now. So! You two know what you want?"

"Yes! We will have two plates of moon berries and two cups of hot chocolate."

"Alright. I just need you to tell me your names." The woman said as she handed a piece of paper to another employee.

"The Doctor and Rose. May I ask what your name is?"

The woman looked at them for a moment before smiling. "Lilen. My name is Lilen." With that, Lilen went to the back room.

The Doctor and Rose took a seat by the windows as they waited for their orders. "So, tell me more about the Aklin people." Rose said as she sat back in her seat.

"Aklien" The Doctor corrected with a small grin. "The people evolved from a species much like the common house cat, hence the ears and the tail. They have the flexibility of a cat, the hearing of the cat, the sight of a cat, and the smell of a cat."

"What abou' touch?"

"Weeel…" The Doctor looked at the ceiling, noticing the many patterns. "they don't exactly have whiskers so they can't have the touch of a cat." The Doctor looked back at her. "They are telepathic though."

"What? Like you?" Rose leaned forward as the Doctor looked for an explanation.

"Their telepathy isn't as strong as gallifreyans. I can't feel them in here" the Doctor pointed to his head. "because they aren't strong enough. The link they have with each other allows them to feel their family and their bond mate."

Their names were called from the counter and the Doctor went to get their orders. Because of the Aklien hospitality, the food and drinks were half off (two for one basically). As the Doctor set the plate down on the table, Rose studied the moon berries.

They were a deep blue color with white dots on them, making them look like stars. Rose took a tentative bite from one and was surprised at the flavor. It was like no berry she had ever had. The taste couldn't be described. It was one of those were you're sure you've had this somewhere else but you can't remember. Rose only knew that they were delicious.

Rose tried the hot chocolate next. It was the perfect temperature and it tasted like "Peppermint?"

The Doctor looked at her from stirring his hot chocolate around. "What?"

"The hot chocolate tastes like peppermint." Rose said as she took another sip.

"The ingredients they use make it taste that way since most of those ingredients just so happen to make peppermints. Plus they always had peppermints into the hot chocolate." The Doctor ate another moon berry as Rose thought this over in her head.

"So… where you planning on doing something or were we jus' gonna eat moon berries all day?" Rose teased as she gave him a tongue touched smile.

The Doctor grinned as he leaned back in his chair, staring intently at her. Rose started to shift under the scrutiny. "Is there something on my face?"

"No." The Doctor replied as he looked out the window. "I was just wondering how long it would take you to notice."

"Notice what?" The Doctor nodded his head towards the window. Rose looked at curiously while she slowly turned her towards the window. Out in the distance, Rose could make out the shape of a carnival.

It was too far to make out anything clear. It was almost hidden by all the trees in front but some rides were tall enough to be seen over the tops. In between the tress it looked like their games to play.

"So Rose Tyler, what do you say to a day at the carnival?" Rose turned back to the Doctor with a smile.

"I think it's brilliant." With that she leapt out of her seat, grabbed the Doctor's hand, and dragged him out of the bakery.

It took about fifteen minutes to get to the carnival. As they got closer, Rose could see that there were rides for all ages. The kiddie rides had little cars that bounced up and down, bees that could 'fly'. The other rides included one that was in the shape of a circle the spun around quickly. There were also rollercoasters that would make anyone scream.

The Doctor and Rose got in line to get tickets. As they were waiting Rose saw the couple from earlier. She didn't mean to eavesdrop, she really didn't, but something strange was going on their lives, the kind of strange than she and the Doctor dealt with.

"Are you sure you're alright to be here?"

"Yes, Amia, I'm fine."

"You didn't sleep well last night. Rion… I don't think you should be here."

"There were just nightmares. I'm fine."

"But that was the fourth time, and you didn't wake up. I'm just worried about you."

"I know. I promise, I'm fine. Come on… let's have a good day at the carnival, yeah?"

"Yeah… that sounds good."

"Well that's strange." The Doctor said as he pulled out his physic paper. He opened it and gave it to the man in the booth. When he returned he the physic paper, he also gave the Doctor and Rose each one hundred tickets.

"What was strange?" Rose asked as she passed the gate, pondering witch ride she should do first.

"Rose, there aren't a lot of things you can hide from me. Plus, you are a really bad liar." He walked past her towards as she shouted "Oi!" at him and ran to catch up.

"So do you think it's something that's doing it?" They waited in line for a rollercoaster as the Doctor thought about it.

"I don't think we have to worry about it yet. It could be stress that's giving him nightmares, and, if you're exhausted enough, you won't wake up until your body feels that you've had the proper amount of sleep."

Rose thought about this. The Doctor was probably right. They don't have to worry about it yet. It was only one person and that doesn't make it dangerous. The Doctor would know if something was wrong and wouldn't hesitate to fix it.

With this in mind, Rose and the Doctor took their seats on the rollercoaster. The Doctor gave her a smile as they lurched forward, going up into the sky. She smiled back and looked forward. Today would be a good day. If anything happens, they'll face it together.

J.S.

The Doctor and Rose explored. Aklien carnivals were not like Earth carnivals oh no! They had water balloon toss, paintball guns, obstacle course, picnics, you name it. It was, unfortunately, too much to do in one day.

For now, though, they would do as much as they could.

They wandered around a bit until they found a bouncy house. Not any old bouncy house though, an obstacle course bouncy house.

The Doctor smiled at the thought of two mature grown adults acting like children. Those people don't know what they're missing.

"Rose, we should do that." The Doctor pulled at Rose's shirt as she was about to walk past. She turned to look at him then looked at the bouncy house.

She turned back to him with a tongue touched smile and mischievous glint in her eyes. "Race ya!" Roes took off, leaving the Doctor standing and staring at where she had been standing. The Doctor smiled to himself as he ran after her.

The bouncy house was bigger than any one the Doctor had seen. It was the size of a building, and had three levels to it. The Doctor and Rose gave their tickets to the person at the bouncy house.

"Good luck!" She said to them as they took off their shoes and climbed into the house.

There were already several people inside. Some were just beginning like they were; others were making their way to the second level. The Doctor bounced over to the first obstacle.

The goal was to jump on the stands without falling into the foam pit. It looked easy enough, of course it did, but he knew better. He smiled to himself as he scanned the other obstacles. Each on of course got harder to achieve. This would be fun.

"Ladies first, Rose Tyler." He made a grand gesture of showing that she should go first.

"Oh, how kind of you sir Doctor." Rose said with her tongue sticking out in a teasing grin. The Doctor shook his head as he looked away from the tempting object.

"What else would a gentleman do?" He raised an eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest as he leaned closer to her. _Really though, what else would a gentleman do?_ He thought as Rose leaned back from him.

Rose seemed to think on this for a moment. Turning her head to the ceiling and tapping a finger on her chin, she started to walk in a circle around him.

"Hmm, I don't know. I think a gentleman would take a girl to a pretty place then somehow get her thrown in jail."

The Doctor smiled as Rose came to a stop in front of him, her arms crossed as she gave him a tongue touched smile. Weeel… if that was what a gentleman was supposed to do, then… "I guess I'm doing it correctly." He smiled at her as he said this.

"I guess so." Rose agreed. She gave him a warm smile and his hearts skipped a beat.

It never failed to amaze him how he reacted to Rose. One smile from her made his hearts stop. One touch made his breath hitch. One hug made him think that he should never let her again. This female human could do anything and he would always be there for her. She could make him do anything, and that was terrifying. She had stolen his hearts. There was no question about it. Rose Marion Tyler held both of his hearts in the palm of her hand. He wouldn't want it any other way. Why? This answer was hard to find, but when he did find it, it seemed so simple. He loved her. He loved her with all his hearts. He loved her that sometimes it was hard to breathe. He loved her that so much that it _ached._ He loves her.

The Doctor shook himself out of his thoughts as he pointed to the obstacle again. "Ladies first."

Rose rolled her eyes as she turned back to the obstacle. The Doctor watched as she took a few steps back, getting ready to jump.

Rose sprang forward. She jumped as she got to the end of the platform. She landed on the stand and it moved back and forth due to her weight not being balanced. She tried to get her balance, waving her arms back and forth. She almost had it, it looked like she found her balance…

She feel.

Now keep in mind that the Doctor really, _really tried_, to not laugh as Rose plummeted into the foam pit.

He failed.

The Doctor started laughing, doubling over as he clutched his middle due to his laughter. Rose glared at him as she sat up in the foam pit. She started to throw some of the foam blocks at him, causing him to laugh harder. "You try it then!" she yelled as she threw another block at his face. The Doctor instantly stopped laughing as it hit his face. Rose slowly crawled out of the foam pit and pointed to it when she was out.

"Alright, I will try it!" He started to bounce as he examined the obstacle closely. You had to land perfectly on the stand, your weight equally distributed on the stands. He calculated how much power it would take to make the land, and took three steps back when he did. He ran, jumped, and landed in the exact center of the stand. "There, you see, Rose Tyler! I did it!"

"Show off. Now shift! I wanna try again."

"The rest of the obstacles on level one went well. That didn't mean that they didn't have plenty of failures. Still, they made it to the end of level one and went to make their way to the second floor. The Doctor was delighted to find out that the only way to get to the second floor was to climb up a rock wall.

While they were climbing, Rose asked how they could have so much stuff in a bouncy house. The Doctor explained that the materiel was stronger than the one on earth, and due to its flexibility, it was able to be punctured by items and keep the air in.

When they made it to the second level, the Doctor was surprised to see that the entire second and third level was one jungle gym. There were lots of people in this one. Children were running and jumping while parents watched. Teenagers were doing stunts that the children tried to copy.

The Doctor looked around some more and found an area where a game was taking place. The area involved the two levels, and the game that was taking place was to hit as much people as possible with the plastic balls.

"We should do that." He said as he continued to study it.

"What?" Rose asked, her mind lost in all the chaos of the jungle gym.

"That." He pointed to the area. "Has all the plastic balls. People are hitting each other with them. You have to run away or hit someone. It's kinda like dodge ball."

Rose looked at him with a tongue touched smile and a mischievous look in her eyes. "Race ya!"

With that, Rose took off to the area with the 'kinda dodgeball'. The Doctor laughed as he and Rose ran to the area, dodging children that were running around and jumping over tunnels. They reached the area out of breath with laughter.

Now that they were closer, they could see all the details of the area.

The second floor was most like the jungle gym, with slides and things that you could climb on. The third was more of just a floor with a hole in the middle, looking down at the second floor. There were still things to do in the third floor like climb through tunnels and slides and things to get rid of people if you're being chased.

"Well, come on. What you waiting for?" With that, the Doctor ran to the third floor.

On the way to the third floor, there were bags that you could fill with the plastic balls. Rose grabbed one as she followed the Doctor.

The 'dodge ball' area had mostly teens and young adults. The plastic balls were being thrown everywhere. People from the top were aiming at the people down below… and that included the Doctor and Rose.

The Doctor took Rose's hand as they ran to the entrance for the third level. It was one of those tunnels were you weave back and forth to get to the top. It would have been simple if the Doctor were shorter. Rose got through it no problems at all. Bloody gymnast.

There weren't as many people on the third level as on the second. There were probably a total of three people, not including the Doctor and Rose.

These three people were also on the other side as them. They hadn't noticed them yet, as they were busy aiming at people on the floor below.

The Doctor looked over the ledge of the gate. While they were still in a bouncy house, the third floor had a fence over the hole. Safety precaution for the children below.

Rose came up behind him to look over the ledge. From this height, not many could hit them from down below. The occasional object was thrown up, but was easy to catch. The Doctor stood back a bit as Rose stayed leaning over the side.

"This can't be hard." Rose said as she stood straight up, still looking over the side. The Doctor didn't hear her though. He was too busy watching the teens on the other side.

They had finally noticed them. One boy, two girls. They seemed to be discussing something, but the place was too loud for the Doctor to hear them. The boy was tossing a ball in his hand and he continued talking. One of the girls looked over at them and said something to the boy. The boy turned around with a smirk on his face. This was not good.

"Rose… we have to get down."

"Why?"

Before she knew what was happening, the Doctor had grabbed her waist and pushed her to the ground. A ball hit the wall behind them, and they could hear laughter in the background, but they weren't paying attention.

Rose was on top of the Doctor. Her right knee was between his legs and _Rassilon, _Rose Tyler was on top of him. Their faces were close enough that their breath mingled with the others. Their faces were close enough that the Doctor would have had to put on his glasses to see every detail of Rose Tyler. Her hip bones dug into him, and her weight was comforting, solid. Her body added heat to his cooler one, making him want to get closer to her.

They stared at each other for an unknown amount of time. The Doctor heard people coming, but didn't care. Do you know why?

_Rose Tyler was on top of him._

Rose began to move as the voices grew louder. As Rose moved off of him, the Doctor couldn't help but be disappointed at the loss of heat.

The Doctor soon followed Rose, and pointed to the exit. "Should we go do something else?"

"Yeah… think we've had enough time in here." Rose grabbed the Doctor's hand as they walked out of the bouncy house.


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of the day went well, and the awkwardness of the situation in the bouncy house soon faded when the Doctor found a stand of mini cakes. They didn't have any moon berries, but were delicious none the less. There were multiple games to play and the Doctor was able to win Rose a plush kitten. She, in return, won him a small teddy bear.

The day was starting to come to an end and they were taking a stroll.

"What do you think it would be like to have a tail?" Rose asked, still captivated by the Akliens' tails.

"Don't know. It could get a bit troublesome with all the fur." The Doctor said thoughtfully.

As they were rounding a corner, an old man dropped a crate full of treats. The Doctor rushed forward, pulling Rose along with him.

As soon as they reached the old man the Doctor dropped down to help pick up the treats. They were all in boxes, and the Doctor couldn't help but read the labels. There were from the bakery he and Rose went to earlier.

The Doctor looked at the old man and wondered if he was Nikan. The old man smiled in thanks as he took the crate from the Doctor and Rose. "Thank you both." The old man sighed as he began to set up the display of treats. "God knows I'm getting to old for this."

"You wouldn't happen to be Nikan, would you?" The Doctor asked.

"Yes, I am. Have we met before?"

"Oh no, we just met your wife in the café earlier."

"Ah, that explains it." Nikan said with a small smile. "She loves to meet new people, always has, especially people like you." Nikan continued to set up his stand as people came over to see what he had.

"She seems like a nice person. One you could spend the entire day with I recon." Rose said as she came to stand by the Doctor.

"Oh, she is. She could talk your ear off if you let her."

Rose chuckled as she pointed her thumb at the Doctor. "Sounds like this one." The Doctor most definitely did not pout as Rose continued to laugh.

"Your mother's worse. She fills my head with rubbish every time you drag me to her flat." The Doctor countered.

"Oi! Don't say bad things 'bout my mum." Rose said as slapped his shoulder.

"Lilen was right; you'd make a lovely couple. You are the Doctor and Rose, aren't you?" Nikan said as he turned away from the display of treats. "Ah, look who it is." Nikan said as he turned towards the entrance of the stand. "Lilen, look who it is."

Lilen walked in holding a platter of brownies. She smiled as she saw the Doctor and Rose. "It's a small world. Brownie?" She held the platter out to them. Naturally, the Doctor began to protest, it was the gentleman thing to do, after all. But again, Lilen would hear none of the protesting. "I insist, and we need someone to taste test them."

Rose took one brownie off the platter, broke it in half, and gave one half of the brownie to the Doctor.

The Doctor looked at his one half as Rose took a small bite from her own half. "This is gorgeous." She said as she finished off the brownie.

The Doctor looked at his own brownie and took a bite. The flavor of chocolate and something else swirled in his mouth once the brownie touched his tongue. In all of his life, this had to be the best brownie, one half, anyway, that he had ever had. "These have to be the best brownies in the universe."

Lilen gave her husband a smile as she passed the platter to him. "Set these out love?"

"Of course dear."

Nikan went to the front of the stand were the first costumers were eagerly waiting to get a treat.

"Do you two have somewhere to stay?" Lilen suddenly asked. The Doctor was surprised by the question. Lilen continued talking as she went to help some other customers. "If you don't have somewhere to stay me and Nikan have a spare bedroom and you're welcome to use it."

The Doctor was surprised that this couple was being so nice to them. They hadn't done anything remarkable for them. They hardly even knew each other. But she was still offering them a place to stay.

The Doctor turned to Rose as he wasn't sure how to respond. Rose took control of the situation.

"Really, you don't have to." Rose said. Lilen was about to reply when Rose continued on. "I'm sure you have things to do to maintain your café. We don't want to get in the way of anything.

Lilen turned to her husband as they had a telepathic conversation. It only lasted 2.3 seconds, but it could have contained a billion words.

Lilen turned back to them with a smile. "Please, I insist. It's been so long since we've had company for the night. It's always nice to have people every once in a while."

"Why are you being so nice to us?" The Doctor couldn't help himself from asking.

Lilen just gave another smile.

"When I was younger, I came here from the north island. I had no idea where I was going or what I was doing. Then I met this woman. She was nice to me and offered to help me make my way in life. Since then I've been doing the same thing she did to me: helping people making their life easier."

The Doctor didn't know what to say to that. He turned to Rose again, letting her take over the situation. She just gave him a shrug in return as she didn't know what to do either.

"We sort of have somewhere to stay. It's a little transport… thingy." The Doctor said, trying to come up with a story for the TARDIS.

"How far do you have to go?" Nikan asked as he turned to them, letting his Rose take care of the customers.

"It's just on the outskirts." The Doctor explained, pointing to in the general direction of the TARDIS (since he always knows where she is, telepathy and all that).

Nikan nodded his head before he spoke again. "That's too far." He said as his wife turned them. He took her position of helping the customers.

"It gets dark soon, and there are so many ditches on the hill. Please, wait till morning so you can see everything. We wouldn't want you to get hurt because you can't see where you're going."

Rose turned towards the Doctor. She gave him a questioning look. One hand, they could go back to the TARDIS and have to walk in the dark, and then walk all the way back the next day. On the other hand, they could stay with the nice old couple who lived fairly close to the carnival. He pretty sure he knows which one sounds better.

"We'd be happy to stay for the night." Rose looked at him with a surprised look on her face, but he just smiled and shrugged at her, as if saying _what else can we do?_

Lilen smiled brightly.

"Then you two go have fun. We'll be leaving at seven so meet us back here. Have fun!" Lilen shooed them out of the little stand, waving her hand at them as they began to leave.

The Doctor was happy for the old couple. They were nothing like his parents. Lilen and Nikan were happy with each other, he could tell. They had something that his parents didn't have. Love. He looked over at Rose, marveling at how such a simple thing could make someone happy, how _Rose _could make him live again and see that the universe will always be a beautiful place.

The Doctor smiled to himself at the thought and took Rose's hand in his own as they walked back to the rides.

J.S.

Rose had automatically laced her fingers with the Doctor. She swung both their arms as they wandered to the rides.

Some of the rides had lights on that blinked on and off in patterns.

Rose spotted a Ferris wheel that looked like the London Eye. Its lights were just turning on as it spun slowly. She was just able to see the line from where she and the Doctor stood and it was surprisingly short.

"…Doctor?" She asked as she leaned into him.

"Hmm?"

"We should go on that." She moved her head in the direction of the Ferris wheel as the Doctor came to a stop. He looked the Ferris wheel for a moment before giving a megawatt smile. She returned the smile with her own tongue touched one that she reserved only for him.

"Well then, c'mon." He said as he tugged on her hand.

They made their way to the Ferris wheel, but not before the Doctor had to get a cookie. Rose had said no, saying that he could get one latter. He had turned his puppy dog eyes on her, and she could feel her resolve breaking with that look. She can't say no to the puppy dog eyes.

So there they were, standing in line to ride a Ferris wheel and sharing a giant chocolate chip cookie.

Rose still has her hands clasped tightly with the Doctor's, not wanting to let go. While they stood in line, Rose's mind began to wander.

Ever since the word 'run', Rose has slowly been falling in love with the Doctor. She still is falling in love with all the little things that make him _him._ She loves that he rambles. She loves how he rubes his neck when he's nervous. She loves how childlike he can be at times. She loves that their hands fit together perfectly. She loves how his freckles stand when it's sunny like today. She loves his eyes that convey so much emotion, so many worlds. She loves all the tiny things that she defines simply as _Doctor._

She has been falling in love with this amazing, incredible alien man.

The Doctor has shown her something better. He has showed her that you don't give up, you fight. You fight for what you believe and what is right.

And the Doctor made her realize something. She was Rose Tyler, the Bad Wolf, the Stuff of Legend. She didn't need her A-Levels to be brilliant, because she is brilliant in her own way. After all, the Doctor only picks the best, and on more than one occasion the Doctor had said she was brilliant, even when people thought otherwise.

Rose came back to the here and now as it was their turn to get on the Ferris wheel.

This close, the Ferris wheel was not nearly as big as the London eye. It was the size of an average one at any carnival back home. The lights were now on and were completely beautiful. The colors of the lights were blue and gold, creating patterns that looked impossible to make.

The woman running the wheel gave them a smile as she cheeked their wrist bands. She turned to open the door as the Doctor smiled down at Rose.

The seats were big enough to hold at least four people, two on the left and two on the right. The top half of the cart was made out of glass to look out at the sights, and the seats were plush.

Rose got in first as she was the closest to the woman. When she got in she patted the seat next to her with her hand. The Doctor got in and sat next to her. Once they were seated the woman moved the safety bar across their laps. She closed the door and started the ride.

They make it very far since they were only the third group to get one. Their cart came to a stop, causing it to swing back and forth slightly. Great, just great. This part always got to Rose.

She didn't know how to explain it. She knew the ride was perfectly safe, but there was always that adrenaline rush that something would go wrong.

The Doctor took her hand, and she calmed down at the cool touch of his hand in hers. She sent him a grateful smile. Then the ride moved again. Then they stopped.

This process kept happening until they got to the top. Rose could fell the Doctor sitting next her, moving around in the seat, causing it to move more. Damn him and his short attention span.

Just when she going to tell him to stop, he did. Rose sighed in relief as the swaying stopped and she was able to relax.

No sooner had she relax did she feel his breath by her ear. She jumped causing the cart to move more. She looked at him with a glare, and he smiled apologetically at her.

"Sorry." He said as he started to rub his neck. "I just wanted to tell you that you should look at this.

He moved to lean back so she could see around him.

The sight was beautiful.

The trees here were short enough that she could look over the tops, and in the distant she could see bird like creatures. The sun turned the sky into a deep red. Shadows were cast over the land, making it seem even more beautiful. The hills that had the TARDIS covered her up enough that no one would be able to see her.

Rose looked over at the Doctor, but no words were able to come out. He was looking in the direction of the TARDIS, and the setting sun caused shadows to appear on his face. The shadows made him look younger, covering the lines that appeared on his face when he was awake. He looked almost peaceful. Only one word could describe him to Rose: Beautiful.

Just then the Ferris wheel jerked forward, causing Rose to grab onto the Doctor. He laughed as she clung to him, to noise traveling through his chest to her ear where her head was resting.

"If you're so afraid of moving on a Ferris wheel, than why did you suggest it?" He asked as he started to run his fingers through her hair.

She replied with a muffled voice "It's not that I don't like Ferris wheels, I just don't like when they sway back and forth."

The Doctor slid the little window open to look down towards the ground. The cart swayed a bit with the motion, and Rose tensed as it did.

The Doctor turned towards him, or more of he looked down, and continued to stroke her head.

"Well the good news is there are no more people getting on so after this we should be good to go." Ju8st as he said the cart jerked forward, but this time, it didn't stop.

Rose relaxed as the ride continued to move and moved her head to the Doctor's shoulder. She could have sworn that his breath had hitched when she did that, but she wasn't sure.

Rose hummed in content as he threaded his fingers through her hair. He chuckled as she burrowed her head further into his shoulder.

The silence was nice, and now that the swaying had stopped, Rose was able to enjoy the ride.

"So…" The Doctor started to say as the silence dragged on. "What else is your favorite colour besides pink?" Rose moved her head to look at him curiously, to which he just shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

She moved her head back to his shoulder and started to think about it. Pink had been her favorite colour for a long time, still is, actually. Lately she found her colour preference changing. Instead of the hot pink colour that made up her room, she liked more of a soft pink, like, dare she say it, a rose.

Well she couldn't say that to the Doctor, she would never hear the end of it. Rose's favorite colour is rose, BRILLIANT. She could almost hear him say that now. She shuddered mentally at the thought.

Though now that she thought about it, she did like the colour red. Not just any red, but a deep red. The deep red that curtains are cloured, the ones made out of velvet.

Realizing that the Doctor was waiting for an answer, she told him red.

The Doctor seemed to consider her answer and nodded his head. "Red is a good colour." He finally said as he continued to run his fingers through her hair.

After one more cycle, Rose asked him what colour, besides TARDIS blue, was his favorite.

She felt him tense, and for one moment he stopped moving his finger through her hair. It was only a moment though, and Rose had barley caught it. You would have to really know the Doctor to see that he felt uncomfortable with the question.

He seemed to be thinking on the right words to say. After a few moments, she feared that she had crossed a line and that he wouldn't answer. He proves her wrong when he hesitantly answered.

"My favorite colour is silver." He voice was so soft that Rose could barely hear him.

Rose leaned back to look at him. He turned his head towards the tree. Rose took one hand on his cheek and turned his head so she was looking at him. The look is his eyes made her heart break. His eyes held such sadness.

It was the same look he had whenever he was thinking about Gallifrey.

Rose lowered his head so she could give him a kiss on his forehead. She kept his head there, running her fingers through his hair. She wrapped her arms around him, one going around his waist, the other going over his shoulder. He returned the embrace as Rose held him.

She started rocking side to side out of habit, and continued to run her fingers through his hair. The Doctor snuggled further into Rose's embrace, burying his head in the crook of her neck. He was close enough that she could feel the fluttering of his eyelashes on her skin.

As she continued to rock him, the Ferris wheel began to slow. It came to a halt and the Doctor moved his head so his chin was resting on her shoulder. When the ride moved again, Rose slowly let go of the Doctor.

He smiled at her when they separated, and she couldn't help but to smile back.


	4. Chapter 4

Once the Ferris wheel ride was done, Rose had decided that she wanted real food. Not that the food there was bad, she loved it. No, what Rose wanted was to be able to sit down and relax for a bit.

Well this can't be too hard; Rose thought to herself, it's just food after all. But in all actuality, this was one of the hardest things to ask the Doctor. Why is it one of the hardest things to ask? Because the Doctor is a complete nutter. While he likes sweets, real food is kind of hard to get him to eat.

"Doctor?" Sod it.

"Hmm." He responded as they kept walking through the fair.

"Can we get something to eat?" It was a good question. Don't beat around the bush kids.

"Of course we can"

The Doctor took Roses hand and led her out of the fair.

J.S.

As they were walking along the streets, Rose couldn't help but look at the architecture around her. As she had seen before, the buildings were mostly made out of cobblestone or a rock like that. The roads were made much the same way. Of course there were other little details that gave this little town character.

All the buildings had what looked like family crest carved into the stone. Some were pictures of animals with a Latin phrase, some were just Latin phrases, and some were just animals. They really were beautiful. Some of the stones had varying colours. The colours didn't vary too much, but they were still able to draw attention from passer-byes.

They really were quite beautiful. The colours all swirled together but were one colour at the same time. It almost made Rose dizzy, but she continued to enjoy the colours none the less.

It only took about ten more minutes to reach the restaurant (9 minutes and 47 seconds according to the Doctor).

It was beautiful.

It was called Bella. There were multiple flowers that were planted outside ranging from size, colour, and shape. Most of the seemed to look like roses. Of course they actually weren't, the Doctor told Rose, but they still looked like roses.

The 'roses' were red and gold in colour. Let me explain how they were red and gold. The flower was mostly red. The petals curled around each other and had gold swirls travelling towards the base of the petals. The gold was hard to see, as the flowers weren't in full bloom. The ones that were in bloom stretched out their petals, allowing everyone to see the colours that were inside.

As the Doctor led Rose inside the restaurant, Rose couldn't help but look up at the ceiling. She could see thousands of stars.

Okay, they weren't really stars, but they were close enough. The ceiling was a dark blue, almost black, and there were little lights that looked like stars. Each one had a different intensity, making them look closer and farther away than others. It really was beautiful.

They approached the stand that held the menus. A middle-aged man stood at the stand, talking to a waiter before he hurried off to the kitchen.

The man gave them a smile. "Hello, welcome to Bella. Table for two?"

"Yes." The Doctor answered, linking arms with Rose.

"Fallow me please."

The usher led them to their seats. Their seats were private, but then, almost every ones seats were. The table was a dark wood with designs carved in it. The designs swirled around each other, and as Rose looked at the customers on the other wall, she could see children running their fingers through the designs.

As Rose looked around more, though, she could see that many of the waiters and waitresses looked tired. This wasn't they-had-a-busy-night tired though, no, this was I'm-about-ready-to-collapse-from-sheer-exhaustion tired.

They kept rubbing their eyes, and they seemed jumpy, as if they were putting off sleep and were therefore too tired to be tired.

Just then a waitress came over to their table.

She was about as tall as Rose, and had pale skin. Her hair (and cat ears) was a dark brown, and she had emerald eyes. However, what got Roses and the Doctor's attention, were the circles under her eyes.

She had done well to hide them using makeup, but makeup only got you so far.

"Hello, I'm Lyndsey, and I'll be your waitress for this wonderful evening." She gave them a smile. "So, what can I get you to drink?"

"Uhh, water please." The Doctor said as he tore his eyes away from the dark circles.

"I'll, umm, I'll have the same. Thank you." Rose stuttered out as Lyndsey gave them another smile and went to get their water.

"Well, seems like there's an energy crisis." Rose said, trying to get the Doctor to smile.

The Doctor hummed in agreement as he looked around the restaurant. He had a hunch of what could be causing the 'energy crisis', and it wasn't good. If he was right, and he usually was with these sorts of things, then this situation was not good. In fact, this was so far from good that it didn't know what the hell good was, it made seeing Jackie Tyler a good thing compared to this. The Doctor desperately hoped he was wrong.

"Doctor…" Rose said, making him look at her. "do you know what it is?"

Okay, he really wished, really hoped, that he was wrong. He didn't want to scare Rose, but he knew his pink and yellow human wouldn't be scared. Really, if he was right, then she would have no reason to be scared, even if he was terrified.

"I have an idea, but I need to do something first."

"What do you have to do?" Rose asked just as Lyndsey came back with their water.

"Sorry about the wait." She said.

"Oh, it was no problem at all." He gave a small smile. "And, not to intrude, but do you have nightmares?"

Fear flashed across her face as she took a step back. "Well, everyone has nightmares. Some of them are bad memories and some don't mean anything. Nightmares are nothing to worry about." She said with a smile, but the Doctor could see through it. He did it many times, and in this situation, it would not work to pretend that nothing is wrong.

"But have you been having nightmares recently, because if you have then I might be able to help." The Doctor hoped he was able to help.

Lyndsey stood there in thought at what the foreigner said. She didn't know him, and how would he be able to help? These nightmares had been here for three weeks, and it seemed that everyone had them. But they were coping. Sure, they were a little sleep deprived, but nightmares always go away. Besides, for all she knew, this man could be dangerous, and this woman could be just as dangerous. But then she looked into his eyes ad could see no ill will. All of a sudden she knew that she could trust these two.

The Doctor saw Lyndsey barley nod her head, but that was all he needed. He looked around at the other waiters and saw that a majority of them had circles under their eyes. A thousand possibilities raced through his head. Why would only some of the people here be having nightmares? He spotted a blonde haired man with dark coloured skin, as if he had been in the sun for a lengthy amount of time. The Doctor had an idea.

"Lyndsey, are you from this continent?" He asked quickly, and really, he didn't mean to. It was all because he had thoughts racing through his head.

Lyndsey looked confused at his question. What did that have to do with anything? "Yes, I'm from this continent. Why does that matter?" Rose was wandering the same thing. What difference would it make concerning nightmares?

"And that bloke over there," the Doctor nodded to the one with blonde hair, "…where is he from?"

Lyndsey stared at the blonde Aklien in thought. Her eyes snapped back to the Doctor and Rose as she responded. "Sankil is from the North Island."

The Doctor looked around the room again, spotting a waiter who also had dark circles under his eyes. "And where is he from?"

"He's from here."

"And her?" the Doctor asked, indicating a girl with nearly white hair and looked perfectly fine.

"She came from the North Island last year." Lyndsey said, still looking confused at the two strangers.

As the Doctor took in this information more and more possibilities soon faded. He only had a few ideas, but he knew that only one of them was the answer, and he knew that the North Island held the solution, he just didn't know what it was yet.

"Lyndsey, I have an idea of what is going, but I don't know how to fix it yet. All I know is that it has something to do with the North Island. Go there. Go to the North Island and try anything there that isn't here. You got it?" The Doctor said this in rapid fire, but somehow Lyndsey was able to understand. She nodded her head.

"But, why do I have to go to the North Island. The North Island and South Continent share almost everything." She asked him, confused.

"You just answered your own question." The Doctor said as he continued to try and come up with a solution.

"How?" Rose asked. "How did she answer her own question."

"Almost."

"Almost everything." Rose said in realization. "They share _almost_ everything, meaning there is something there that isn't here that is keeping the nightmares away from the people who live in the North Island."

"Exactly! That's exactly what it means. We just have to find what that is."

"So, let me get this straight. You're telling me that there is something from the North Island that allows everyone who lived there to be… _immune_ to these things that are causing nightmares?" Lyndsey asked this in disbelief, rolling her eyes when she said 'immune'.

"Yes?" The Doctor asked, wondering if sounded insane.

"You're completely mad." Well, that answered his question.

"Oh, believe me, he's a nutter."

"And you expect me to just up and leave without a word?" Well when you put that way, the Doctor thought to himself.

"Alright, I know it sounds crazy-"

"You think?"

But this is the only thing I think of. Just imagine that you're on a vacation. Try everything that is in the North Island." He pleaded her with his eyes to just please listen to him.

She gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine, but it's gonna take a couple of days to get enough hours in to get a vacation. And I'm not promising anything. Can't believe I'm actually considering this." She said to herself.

"Oh, don't worry, I thought that when I first started travelling with him." Rose smiled at Lyndsey while the Doctor gave an exclamation of "Oi!"

"Are you still gonna order something?" Lyndsey asked, and it was only then that the Doctor and Rose noticed that she was still standing with a pen and paper, ready to write down orders.

"No. Just one more question. How much does the water cost?"

"You can have it on the house." Lyndsey turned away from them and went to another table, taking their order.

"Doctor, is there anything I can?" Rose asked.

The Doctor thought about that. What could she do? What could _he_ do? There was nothing they could do until they got more information. "I'm sorry Rose, but there is nothing we can do."

"Well, is this thing dangerous, can it hurt us?" The Doctor looked at her. Would it hurt them? Not physically. And it can never hurt Rose.

"It can't hurt you." He knew that wasn't what she wanted to hear, but that was all he could answer with.

"Come on." He took her hand and started to walk out of the restaurant. "We have to go."

J.S.

_Brothers… Sisters… the sun will leave soon._

_The warmth of day will soon turn into cold night. We will feed and the poor little creatures will never know that it is us._

_We will twist and turn their little minds. They will not know what to do. Come brothers and sisters. We will feed for another night in their most vulnerable state. This is what we do. We are mentally superior to them. They will never know. Never._

_Now, feed. Feed on their fears my brothers and sisters. Feed on them._

J.S.

When they exited the restaurant, the disappearance of the sun had caused the air to cool. The stars were just starting to twinkle above Rose's head. In the distance she could see that the lights for the carnival had turned on. They were flashing in a complex pattern, begging for the attention of anyone. Rose couldn't keep her attention on them for too long as the Doctor puled on her hand.

They were walking to the carnival. Well, she said walking, it was more like the Doctor wanted to run but knew that she would stop him and ask him what was going on. So really, it was more of a fast walk slow run. But why were they going to the carnival.

Rose started to slow down to try and grab the Doctor's attention. He just pulled on her hand again. Rose was about to come to a full stop and get some answers when he finally spoke.

"We have to find Nikan and Lilen." So it wasn't much to go on, but that was okay. Rose had found out long ago that you can't rely only on what someone tells you. You have to look at them. Just from the Doctor's pace, Rose knew that this was serious. But why was he so… frantic?

His eyes were flashing to anything that moved as if it would come to life and pounce on him. Rose had only seen him like this a couple times, and she didn't like it. It meant that he knew _exactly _what was going on, he just didn't want to admit it. And don't think that she didn't notice him only answer one part of her question.

She asked if they were safe. He only said that she was safe. Sometimes Rose liked to say that she knew the Doctor pretty well. He told her multiple things about him, from his childhood to past companions to snippets of the Time War. He had even taught her some Gallifreyen. Of course she understood most of his actions and why he took them. He had lived for so long and had been betrayed so many times, that of course would have affected him.

What she didn't understand was why he didn't tell her when he was in danger. She knew that he was used to soldiering on, even before the war. And she knew that old habits die hard, but just once she liked it if he really, _truly_ told her that it was okay to worry about him.

He could be so frustrating at times. She didn't know if it was because of his personality or because he was an alien, but either way, he was frustrating. On multiple occasions this would start a fight between them. The anger would just build in her and she would say horrible things. Things that she would never have said if she was speaking with rationality and not anger. It wasn't until after the smoke had cleared and he had run off to some part of the TARDIS that she thought about what she said. The worst part was that she would forget he was an alien, and she would forget that she too was an alien.

With all the Doctor's strange habits like stroking bits of the TARDIS (really, she shouldn't blame him for doing it, now she's doing it) or saying goodnight to his teddy bear, Mr. Cuddles, in his native language, she had strange habits too.

And perhaps that was the hardest thing with living with an alien, remembering that they are aliens to each other. It was only to be expected, really, that a situation would occur in which they react in very different ways.

Rose would like to think that with travelling together for two years now, they have a better understanding of each other. Where Rose is weak the Doctor is strong and where the Doctor is weak Rose is strong. They are a brilliant team, not a perfect team, but a brilliant team.

By this time Rose and the Doctor had reached the little tent that Nikan and Lilen had been using to sell desserts. As they approached the tent they saw a young man with fiery red hair talking to them. Lilen soon caught sight of them and indicated to the two other men that they were there.

"Ah, Rose, Doctor, just in time." Lilen said as she took the young man's hand and walked him over to them. "This is Peter; he helps us when he has the time. He's a college student and thankfully he has a break for two weeks. Peter will be running the stands for the rest of the carnival."

Peter held out his hand. "It's nice to meet you." He said as he shook their hands.

"'S nice to meet you too." Rose said for the both of them since the Doctor's mind was a bit too frazzled to reply to anything.

"Yes, well, I think it's time to go." Nikan said as he clapped his hands. "Peter, if anything happens, call us. We don't care what time it is, call us if you need anything. Alright?"

"Yes Mr. Rolesy." Peter said.

Peter smiled at all four of them as Nikan and Lilen led the Doctor and Rose to the Rolesy House.

J.S.

The four of them walked for ten minutes until they reached a quiet little neighborhood. Nikan and Lilen had tried to engage the Doctor in their conversations, but he would only hum in agreement. Lilen asked if there was anything wrong to Rose, but she said that he was just tired as today had been a long day.

They began to walk down a street named Pepper Lane. The Aklien couple turned to a house on their left after passing five houses, and entered the threshold.

The inside was spacious when they walked in. The colours of the walls were the same as the café, a warm, soft yellow that gave a charming glow. To the right of Rose was a stair case and to the left seemed to be what would count as a living room. In front of her was a hallway that led to the kitchen. Lilen led the Doctor and Rose to the kitchen.

"Now I have some Rasolage that I made yesterday. It's a very common meal here in the south continent." Lilen brought out a pan wrapped in what looked like tin foil. She took the tin foil off and placed the pan in the oven. She turned the oven on and the pan began to heat. "You tow should sit down, relax." She said as she pulled out some chairs from an island in the middle of the kitchen.

Rose practically had to pull the Doctor into a seat as he was still lost in thought. "What about you and Nikan? Aren't you going to eat?"

Lilen opened her mouth to respond but was cut over by her husband. "We ate at the carnival. We know one of the couples there that had a tent set up. They give us some of their food, which is usually a very common meal, and in return we give them some of our desserts." Nikan smiled at her as he left the room.

Lilen sighed as Nikan left that room. "That man, always appearing and disappearing, I swear that he's gonna give me a heart attack one day." Rose could tell that Lilen was joking and couldn't help but smile as she was in a similar situation with the Doctor seeming to appear out of thin air.

The oven dinged and Lilen pulled out the pan with the Rasolage. Rose had to admit that it smelled heavenly. From Rose's perspective it resembled spaghetti. Lilen put a good amount of it on two plates and set them in front of the two travelers. She also got them a drink. It was blue in colour and had a sweet smell to it. Lilen said that it was Night berry juice. Similar to Moon berries, just less common.

Rose jabbed an elbow into the Doctor's side to get him out of his thoughts. His eyes snapped to Rose as he seemed to only now realize where he was. When Lilen had her back turned to them, the Doctor pointed at his food, then to Lilen. Rose nodded her head at his silent question.

When Lilen turned back to them with napkins the Doctor and Rose smiled at her. "Thank you for letting us stay here." The Doctor said.

Lilen waved her hand at them. "No need to thank me. Now eat up before the food goes cold."

The Doctor and Rose started to eat, and the Doctor finally took part on conversation now that Rose had dragged him out of his thoughts. As the minutes wore on, the Doctor took a look around the kitchen. He spotted a picture that had a man that looked like Nikan, and a woman stood next to him. The nodded his head to the picture. "What's that then?"

Lilen took the picture off of the counter and placed it in front of the time travelers. "That's our son Rilon and his wife Kanzi. They got married two years ago and are now expecting a child." She said with a fond smile on her face.

The Doctor couldn't help but smile for them, and one look at Rose said that she felt the same way. "Congratulations." He said. Lilen smiled her thanks to him.

"They're staying in the North Island for a couple of weeks. They'll be back by the time the moon berries are really in season." Lilen said.

The Doctor and Rose talked some more with Lilen while they ate their meal. When they were done Lilen took their plates and put them in the sink. She then took them down another hall that was connected to the kitchen.

At the end of the hall to the left was a dark wooden door. She opened it and revealed that it was a bedroom. "Sorry we only have one bedroom. And while the couch is comfortable, it leaves a crook in the neck if you sleep on it." Lilen looked at them apologetically.

"Oh, that's no trouble." The Doctor said. "I don't sleep much."

"I thought Rose said you were tired." Lilen said with a confused look.

"Did she?" The Doctor turned to Rose with a pointed look. Rose gave him a look in return.

"Well, I'm not tired now." He said with a small smile.

Lilen gave him a look and then rolled her eyes. "Have a good night you two." And with that, Lilen retired to bed where her husband lay sleeping.

Rose entered the bedroom first. The walls were white and the ceiling was sky blue (not sky green, ha!). The bed was big, well, big enough for two comfortably. The covers were a dark blue, almost back, and the bed frame itself was a rich dark brown.

The Doctor closed the door as Rose plopped down on the bed. The Doctor gave a short laugh at the sight. Rose Tyler, defender of the Earth, spread across a bed diagonally with her hair messed all around her. Looking too exhausted to change into jimjams.

Lilen had told them that there were jimjams in the closet. The Doctor walked over to it. This door was white and had small carvings around the edges. He opened it up and looked around. In the front were everyday clothes. You know: trousers, shirts, sweaters.

In the middle of the closet was more formal clothing. Suites and extravagant dresses (extravagant for Aklien, of course). And finally in the back there were the jimjams. He founds one that looked like they could fit her. They were red and would keep her warm through the cool night. He took them off the hanger and returned to the room where Rose was still splayed on the bed, having not moved an inch.

The Doctor poked in her shoulder and she looked up at him. He gave her a small smile and held up the jimjams to her. He also took out a toothbrush and toothpaste from his (really cool) trench coat and gave it to her. She took all the items and moved to the bathroom.

The Doctor stood in the room alone. It was quite besides Rose brushing her teeth. He took off his shoes and jacket, rolled up the sleeves of his oxford, and sat on the bed, his head and back resting against the head board. Rose entered a minute later (one minute and twenty three seconds) and put her clothes on a table by the door.

"So, what are you going to do?" Rose asked as she pulled the covers off the bed and clambered in.

"I'm going to a read a book. See?" He pulled a book out of his trench coat and showed her the book. As Rose looked at it she found that she couldn't read the cover. It was a book from Gallifrey. Even though he had taught he some gallifreyan, she still had a hard time reading it. Rose gave him a small smile.

"I'm sure it's very interesting even if I can't read it." The Doctor looked at her, confused. "It's in gallifreyan."

"Oh." was all the Doctor said. "Sorry."

Rose laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "It's okay. Good night."

"Good night, Rose." Rose sank her head on the pillow. As the minutes ticked on she could hear the Doctor breathing and the sound of papers turning as he got farther and farther into his book. Rose let these sounds lull her to sleep.

Just when she was in a light sleep, someone screamed.


	5. Chapter 5

The Doctor was running down the hallway without a second thought. The screaming had stopped, but he wasn't going to take any chances. He could hear Rose rushing behind, her feet pounding on the floor as she tried to catch up with him.

The scream had come from Nikan, he was sure of it. And Nikan came from this continent. The only things was, Nikan looked fine just a few minutes ago, no dark circles anywhere on his face. Why would he be getting nightmares now? Almost everyone had them, and he assumed that those who didn't have dark circles came from the North Island. So why did these nightmares only come now? Why now, after it's been happening for a month did it suddenly happen to Nikan?

The Doctor ran up the stairs fallowed by Rose. Just as he reached the top another scream sliced through the air. He rushed to the second room in the hallway, not waiting to knock on the door before he entered the room.

Nikan laid on the bed with Lilen standing over him. She looked up at them in fear as Nikan let out another scream. The Doctor rushed over to the bed.

"I don't know what to do, he won't wake up." Lilen said. Rose came over to her to give her some support, even though it wouldn't do much.

The Doctor looked over Nikan. There was a light layer of sweat covering his body. His eyes were moving frantically under his eyelids and he body was twitching. The Doctor put his hands on his temples, and even as his mind was screaming at him not to do it, he entered Nikan's mind.

All he could see was darkness. Nikan's screams continued to reverberate throughout his mind. The Doctor pushed against the wall of darkness and saw what was happening. Shadows. There were shadows everywhere. They were in every memory that Nikan ever had. They were twisting them and turning them into things that they were not.

The Doctor walked cautiously down the mental hallway. All of Nikan's mental doors were destroyed. They were hanging of their hinges and had claw marks raking across them. There were chunks of doors strewn around the hallway and splinters stuck in the walls. The Doctor walked down the hall hurriedly until he reached a door the end. He opened the door and went deeper into Nikan's mind.

It felt as if he had been in there for hours, even though he knew it had only been seconds for Rose Lilen. He found a way to stop the nightmares, but it was only temporarily. The Doctor went through the door that would take him back to Nikan's memories. He walked down the hallway again, avoiding the shadows that lurked in the corners. He had almost made it to the end when he felt a chill on his spine and stopped.

He turned around slowly and came face to face with a shadow. It stared at him, analyzed him. Its body was constantly morphing, trying to keep one shape. Its eyes were a deep red as it looked at his own brown eyes. It gave a shriek and he covered his ears to mask out the horrible sound.

_You have ruined it!_

The Doctor stared at the shadow in both confusion and fear. "I've ruined what?"

_You have ruined everything! You have ruined my sibling feast. We have been waiting for this old man to fall and now that he has you have ruined it. You will pay for what you have done!_

The Doctor turned around and ran. He could feel his hearts bumping and hear the rush of blood in his ears overpower the horrendous shriek that the shadow gave. As he ran the hallway seemed to get farther away. He could hear the shadow behind him, gaining on him as it prepared to strike. He felt a weight on his back as the shadow attacked him. He continued to run, even as the shadow started to cover his whole body. He was there, he was at the end when the creature was almost covering his face when-

His back collided with Rose's chest as he shot away from Nikan. He felt her wrap her arms around his middle as she guided him to the floor. He knew that she was trying to tell him something, but he couldn't hear her. He saw Lilen go to her husband, but didn't comprehend it. He could feel Rose running her fingers through his hair softly trying to comfort him, but he was numb and couldn't feel it.

He was shaking uncontrollably in Rose's arms, looking at nothing. Rose moved to be in front of him, putting her hands on his cheeks. She guided his eyes so he was looking at her. He was still shaking as she ran her fingers through his hair again and he seemed to calm down some. His eyes focused on her and gradually his shaking stopped.

Rose looked at him in concern. What on earth could have scared the Doctor so much?

Just as she was about to ask him what had happened he grabbed onto her shoulders, silencing her as she stared at him.

"I know what it is."

J.S.

The Doctor, Rose and Lilen were all in the kitchen. Nikan was sleeping nightmare free in his and Lilen's bed, not knowing what was in his head. The Doctor sat at the table, his shoulders hunched and his spine curved. His head was down as he stared at the table. Rose stood standing against the table, nursing an Aklien version of tea in her hands. Lilen stood between the island and the kitchen counter, wringing her hands.

"What is it?" At the sound of Lilen's voice the Doctor's head shoot up. What was it? It was a shadow. A living shadow.

"It's something called Umbra Viventis. It's a microscopic organism related to the Vashta Nerada. Unlike the Vashta Nerada, the Umbra Viventis feed on someone's mind instead of their bodies." Lilen gave a gasp and covered her mouth with her hands at what the Doctor said. They eat the minds of people? Does that make Nikan terminally ill? Does that make everyone with this terminally ill? Lilen couldn't bring herself to ask these questions for fear of what the answer would be.

Rose, on the other hand, wanted these questions answered. "When you say that they eat the minds of people…"

The Doctor gave a sigh as he thought his answer through. "They don't necessarily feed on the mind, more on fears."

Lilen gave a sigh of relief. But this left her with a new question. "Can these things go away?"

"Yes." Yes, they could go away, he just wasn't sure how they go away. It had something to do with the North Island, he was positive of it. He just didn't know what it was.

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"I don't know." He answered true fully.

"How can you know that it goes away but don't know _what_ makes it go away?" Lilen asked both confused and a bit frustrated.

"You don't have it." The Doctor said as he scraped his hands over his face.

"What do you mean?"

"You don't have it and you're from the North Island. Other people who have been to the North Island or come from the North Island don't have any Umbra Viventis attacking their memories while they sleep." The Doctor put his thumb and pointer finger on the bridge of his nose, trying to rid the pounding in the front of his head.

Rose noticed this as he scrunched up his eyes. "Doctor, do you have a headache?"

He waved his hand in a 'don't worry about me' manner. "It's just a small one."

Lilen wanted to help him. He had just stopped these things from attacking her husband. She had to repay him for what he had done. "Do you want some aspirin?"

Both the Doctor and Rose shouted no. It took Lilen by surprise at how fast they had responded to her. She was also confused by the slight fear in the Doctor's eyes. He cleared his throat and started pulling on his ear.

"Sorry, but no. I'm allergic to aspirin."

"Well, then I'll make you some tea." Lilen turned to the counter and opened a cupboard that was above her. In the cupboard were various types of tea. She took out one that was in a green box and started the kettle. If Lilen was being honest with herself, she probably would have needed something stronger than tea. Both the Doctor and Nikan had given her a scare, and while her husband was fine for now, she was still worried about the Doctor.

The water started to boil and she added the tea. She turned back to the Doctor to see that he had his head down and Rose was rubbing small circles into his shoulder. She placed the tea in front of him and he raised his head. A small glimmer appeared in his eyes as he took in the sight of tea. It was a medicinal tea, made to soothe the body and mind. He took a small sip, and though it only tasted like hot water, he felt his body begin to warm from the hot beverage.

"Thank you, Doctor, for helping Nikan." Lilen gave him a small smile.

"Yeah, about that…" The Doctor began as he took another small sip of the tea, "… the effects aren't permanent. After tonight the Umbra Viventis will start attacking him again. I'm sorry."

Lilen looked down at the floor with an expression of sorrow. She gave a small sigh and looked back up the Doctor. She gave him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "You did your best, and for that I am grateful. You gave him one last peaceful night. Thank you."

The Doctor gave a small nod and went back to taking small sips of his tea. The Doctor's thoughts began to wander as Rose and Lilen talked to each other. What could stop the Umbra Viventis from attacking people's memories? What was in the North Island that wasn't in the South Continent? It could be a genetic trait that only the people from the North Island had, but that wouldn't explain how some people from the South Continent were... 'immune' to this mental attack.

No, the Doctor was positive that it was a substance, probably some sort of food that only grew in the North Island. It would fit into the puzzle that Aklien had made with the Umbra Viventis. The only probable was, there could be hundreds of things that grew only in the North Island due to the different environments.

The North Island is a large Island that sits close to the equator. Therefor the North Island is much warmer and more tropical than the South Continent which is located under the equator and closer to the South Pole. And much like Earth's tropical land, the North Island has a ridicules amount of plants and animals.

But there was one clue sitting right in front of the Doctor. This substance was common. This plant or animal (most likely plant, but you can never be too sure) was common in the North Island. A food that was eaten all across the island, but wasn't in the South Continent, would be able to limit the search.

"Lilen, do you have a computer that I can use for the night?" The question had come out of nowhere to the two women, that they were slightly surprised to hear the Doctor when he had been so deep in thought. Lilen nodded her head and left the kitchen, hopefully being able to bring a computer when she returned.

Rose turned to him and tilted her head a bit. She knew he had something up his sleeve, she didn't know what that was yet. She knew that it came from the North Island and most likely wasn't found here, unless this particular area just didn't have it, but she highly doubted that. While the Doctor had been lost in thought, Rose had been asking Lilen a few questions.

She asked what was common in the North Island. What made a traditional breakfast? What kind of diner was served on only special occasions? What would they make for lunch for a picnic? Lilen had been kind enough to write down all the foods that she had as a little girl with her family, and Rose had made sure that they were foods that Lilen had not seen in the South Continent. At first she seemed confused at the request, but had remembered their conversation with the Doctor about something coming from the North Island that would make these things go away. A new spark was in her eyes as she saw that the Doctor and Rose were taking action, even if it was small, and was more than willing to help them.

When Lilen had left to get a computer for the Doctor, Rose took a look at the list. It was a fairly long list with fruits and vegetable and meals, of course, Rose assumed it contained all that, for all she knew the entire list could involve nothing but Aklien mushrooms. Some of the names for the foods sounded strange, some she could never hope to pronounce, and others sounded as if they could come from Earth.

She grabbed the list and turned to the Doctor. He was still drinking his tea in small sips and was lost in thought. She tapped him on the shoulder, startling him and causing some of his tea to come too close to the rim and spill onto his hand. The Doctor looked at the tea for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and licking the tea off of his hand.

Rose made a face when he turned to her, and he responded with a look that said 'what, what was I supposed to do?' She just shook her head at him. 'Nothing.' She held the list out to him as he set his tea on the table. He took the list and looked over it. He hummed in thought before turning back to Rose. "So, this is a list of foods from the North Island?"

"Yep!" Rose said it just like the Doctor, popping the 'p'. "Lilen was telling me about some meals that she had had as a little girl before you had so rudely interrupted us." She gave him a teasing smile, the one that was only for him, as she reminded him about his rudeness.

The Doctor nodded his head. "Yep, that's me. Rude and-"

"-Not ginger." Rose interrupted him as she leaned against the counter.

"Oi!" The Doctor poked her in the ribs, making her give out a small squeal before she moved out of his reach. "Who's being rude now?"

"Yeah, but you're more rude Mr. Rude and Not Ginger."

"This coming from pink and yellow!"

"Oi! I'm only yellow today." Rose made a hand gesture that indicated her entire body, showing the Doctor that she was in fact not wearing pink, thank you very much.

The Doctor leaned towards her, moving a stray strand of hair to behind her ear. Rose's breath hitched as the Doctor's hand moved to her cheek, his thumb moving the apple of her cheek. The Doctor seemed impossibly close to her. She could see the freckles that dusted over his nose and cheeks. She could feel his breath ghost against her face. She could see swirls of gold that danced in his eyes.

"I think…" The Doctor began his voice soft and quiet. "That you Miss Tyler…" He moved his other hand to her cheek, cradling her face "Forget that…" He moved his head forward so that their foreheads touched. "Your cheeks can also be pink."

Now that the Doctor had pointed it out, she could feel the heat in her cheeks. Yep, she was definitely blushing. Why was she blushing? Oh, I don't know, but it might have something to do with the Doctor standing right in front her, their lips only inches apart. Rose wanted to lean in, to close that gap between and finally, _finally_ have their lips meet for a proper kiss.

But Rose noticed something else. The Doctor had the smallest blush dusting on his cheeks. She gave a smile as she noticed that when the Doctor blushes his freckles stand out, and isn't that adorable?

"Your cheeks are pink too." Rose brought up her own hand, her fingertips brushing against his sideburns.

The Doctor pulled back a fraction. "Yeah, well, that's only because you're warmer than me and the close proximity is causing us to share body heat which is causing me to get warmer than I usually am."

Rose leaned into the Doctor more, reconnecting their foreheads so they could only see each other's eyes. "But the thing is Doctor; I think you're a bit of a cuddler in this body…" The Doctor was about to protest but Rose continued to talk. "So that means that you either like to share body heat or you like the close proximity because you also like hugs don't you? Why is that?" At this the Doctor's cheeks became to redden, and Rose liked the way how the blushing caused the freckles to stand out even more.

Before the Doctor could answer her question or deny that he liked to cuddle, Rose could hear Lilen returning from upstairs. Rose backed away from the Doctor until they were arm's length apart. "Here you are Doctor."

The Doctor reached out for the computer. "Thank you Lilen." He opened the computer and was met with the home screen.

"Now, if that's all you need, I think I'll go to bed now." Lilen said goodnight to both the Doctor and Rose, and went to bed. The two sat in the kitchen in companionable silence as the Doctor used the computer.

"You can go to bed now, Rose." The Doctor offered after about ten minutes (nine minutes and fifty six seconds). She declined, saying that she would keep him company. After about half an hour with no noise from Rose, the Doctor looked over to her to see that she was asleep. He gave a sigh at his pink and yellow human as he went over to her.

She was using her arms as a pillow, her lips were partly open and her golden hair was falling onto her face. The Doctor gently tucked her hair to behind her ear, showing her dark lashes against her pale skin. The Doctor gave a smile at the sight of her.

The Doctor was in trouble. All he thought of was Rose every moment of every day, more than he should, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't help but think that everything she did was brilliant and that no matter what she wore she was beautiful. Rassilon, he was like a school boy. Really, he thought, flirting with her in the middle of a… _thing_!? Okay, maybe she was flirting with him, but he was the one who started it but saying she was blushing.

Oh well, he thought, that was what they did. The Doctor carefully picked up Rose, one arm was under her knees while the other was wrapped around her shoulders, her head resting against his shoulder. He quietly walked down that hallway to the guest bedroom. In their earlier haste to get to Nikan and Lilen, Rose had thrown off the blanket. He gently placed her on top of the bed and went to retrieve the blanket from the far wall.

He set it in place and drew it up to just below her chin. He turned off the lamp that they had left on and gave her a light kiss on the forehead. He wished her sweet dreams.

"Ami shalo'i."


	6. Chapter 6

_AN: I have no reason for this being so late other than laziness. But if you are still here then enjoy the story._

When Rose awoke from sleep, she was surprised. She couldn't hear the hum of the TARDIS, and she couldn't hear the Doctor doing god knows what. That was when she remembered the scream. Rose had wanted to stay with the Doctor and keep him company. He seemed so shaken after relieving Nikan of nightmares, even if it was for a night. She must have fallen asleep on that kitchen counter. And of course it was nice for the Doctor to carry her to bed, but she wished he didn't have to be alone.

Rose stretched her arms above her head as she prepared for the day. She went into the loo and splashed some water on her face, giving her that final kick to wake up. When she returned to the room she saw that someone had set some clothes out for her. She decided that she would put the clothes on later and went to go check on the Doctor.

She found him on the couch with his eyes closed. His legs were crossed and he had his head resting on his hand, his elbow on his knee. She knew that he wasn't sleeping, he was thinking. It was kind of like what Sherlock did with his mind palace, he would organize information, delete information that was no longer needed and lock away the ones that he didn't want to remember, but would be always be there.

One time when Mickey was with them, he had found the Doctor like this. He had thought it would be funny to scare the Doctor, to catch the almighty powerful Time Lord off guard. He had quietly walked across the library floor, to the desk where the Doctor sat at. He reached out a hand and grasped Mickey's wrist, his eyes still closed.

Slowly the Doctor opened one eye and looked at Mickey. He very calmly asked Mickey what he was doing. Mickey had stuttered out 'nothing'. When he let go of Mickey's wrist, Mickey fled from the library.

Rose had learned a long time ago how to properly act when the Doctor was like this. First, you had to be quiet. He could hear everything, from her heartbeat to her breathing and to the way that the air moved around her.

Second, you couldn't go directly to him. He would tell if you did, and that wouldn't end well for you. The best way is to go to his side, his shoulder. Then, you gently place your hand on his shoulder, letting him know that you mean no harm.

You don't move your hand for ten seconds. For ten seconds you remain completely still. It had taken Rose months to learn that alone. Multiple experiments that ended up failing, until finally, _finally_, she had gotten it right. After the ten seconds were up, she would move her hand in a circular motion to lure him back into reality.

After that he would open his eyes and stare ahead for a few moments, unblinking as his thoughts went back into their hiding places in that mind of his. He slowly turned towards her, his soulful eyes with a hint a gold swirling in the middle pinning her where she stood. He blinked and slowly smiled at her.

"Hello."

She smiled back at him, moving her arm to grasp his hand. He entwined their fingers together, connecting their hands as they do so many times. "Hello."

She pulled on his hand, coaxing him to stand and fallow her. She led him into the kitchen where the computer sat on the counter top, sleeping.

There was a note from Lilen that she had gone to get some food from the market and that they should help themselves to some Chilmen. Oh, and Nikan said thank you and he would be at the bakery for opening.

Rose poured herself and the Doctor a cup of Chilmen. It was bitter with a hint of vanilla in the background, wanting to be tasted but to far away to reach. There was also something sweet about it. So sweet that it was almost unbearable to drink, yet Rose's taste buds craved more of it. To all intents and purposes, Rose was drinking Aklien coffee.

The Doctor drank his coffee slowly and stared out the window. Rose wondered what exactly he was thinking about. The Umbra Viventis? The Time War? His childhood? There was so mush in that head of his that he kept only to himself, and while Rose understood that he needed some secrets, it saddened her that there was just _so much_ he had to go through without a hand to hold.

As she set down the glass she saw the list that Lilen had made. A few of the strange words were highlighted. Others were circled with a star next to them, and the rest were scratched out. It was obvious to know that the scratched out ones were not going to help with the Umbra Viventis, but what about the circled and highlighted ones? What did that mean?

Looking up to glance at the Doctor, Rose found him again lost in his mind, staring out the window. Deciding that he would be fine on his own for a few more minutes, Rose went back to the quest bedroom to prepare for the day.

After Rose had gone through her morning routine, she wandered into the closet to have another look at Aklien clothing. Aklien didn't seem to have blue jeans (why did no planet have blue jeans? No, Rose was serious about this, every planet that the Doctor had taken her to have no blue jeans. They might have _red _jeans or _green _jeans, but never blue jeans. Why? WHY?) but instead seemed to have cream coloured, light weight trousers. They would seem to do the slightly warmer temperature Aklien had this time of year. The shirts seemed be no different than one Rose would find in a shop on Earth. She picked out a light blue V-neck that some Aklien writing on the front. Apparently the TARDIS didn't feel like translating right now.

Officially done with preparing for the day, Rose wandered out to get the Doctor prepared for the day.

He was still staring at nothing when she reentered the kitchen and from her guess, he hadn't one more sip from his Aklien coffee, just set it down in front of him and hadn't moved it an inch.

Rose went up to him and took his cup of coffee out of his reach. Nope. No reaction. Still just staring at nothing. She then decided to take the list out of his reach. No reaction. She poked him in the shoulder. Not even a twitch. She poked him right between the shoulder blades, right on the mole. NO REACTION. She snapped her fingers right in front of his eyes. Reaction. She- wait… what?

The Doctor was rapidly blinking and looking around the room. He eventually stopped blinking and his gaze landed on Rose. He blinked some more, seeming to be unsure if she was really there. She gave him a small wave and his gaze landed on the list that she held in her hand.

The silence continued and Rose shifter her feet as the Doctor stared at the list. She cleared her throat and the Doctor's attention shoot towards her. "So are you going to tell me you colour code?" She asked, holding the list out to him.

The Doctor cleared his own throat and took the list from her. "Well I'm sure that you already deduced that the scratched out one don't work. You're good at deducing." He gave her a smile at that and she couldn't help but to smile back. "The highlighted ones can possibly work, and the ones circled can definitely work."

"So that's it? If we get these fruits then these Umbre- Umbr_a_ Viventis should be gone?" Rose liked the sound of the, but the look on the Doctor's face said that it wasn't that easy.

"The thing is, it's a long list and as far as I can tell only one of these fruits work. We may have to run multiple trial and error runs before we get to the right one." Of course it wouldn't be _that_ easy. When was life ever _that_ easy.

"Yeah, I should've guessed it would be a little harder than that."

"Yeah, but hey, the fruit will be here today and hopefully, if we're _really _lucky, the first one will be the one." The Doctor said, his voice full of hope. Rose couldn't help but share in the hope that he radiated in that moment that maybe life would be easy for a change.

How foolish of them to think it would be _easy._

J.S.

The first night was hell.

The amogili fruit, which looked like an orange if they could be purple, did absolutely nothing to help Nikan.

His screams rang through the hose, making it futile to sleep. The three humanoids that were left awake prayed for time to be merciful and bring out the sun.

Their prayers were not answered.

The second night seemed to go by fine. That is, until the clock struck two o'clock.

Rose was awoken by the screams but did not bother to move, knowing that nothing would help. The night passed by slowly and still the screams went until Nikan could not scream, but he still would not wake.

On the third night no one got their hopes up as they heard nothing from Nikan.

They did not trust the peace that had befallen Nikan and instead were prepared for more screams.

They did not come.

The Doctor and Rose stayed for one more night. Nothing happened. And so they decided to take their leave as their job there was done.

And what had stopped the Umbra Viventis? It was a berry called Tranquillitatem.

Tranquility.

J.S.

They had decided to go to see Jackie Tyler. Or, rather, Rose decided that they should go see Jackie Tyler.

They had brought her some fruit from Aklien, and when they had told her it was alien, Jackie went on a rant that it would change her hair colour, or worse, get rid of her hair completely. The Doctor couldn't decide it Jackie was extremely imaginative or absolutely crazy. Though, he pondered, who says they aren't the same?

They had stayed there for one night. Rose and her mum got to catch up with each other while the Doctor looked at their photo albums (again). Jackie told Rose that she was seeing that bloke from just down the hall, Mark, his name is. It had only been going on for a couple of weeks, and it seemed to be a stable relationship.

Rose had shared some of the adventures that she and the Doctor had been on recently, telling her the tale of how she became a goddess on one adventure. Of course she left out the part that the natives that planet had wanted to kill her so they could free the goddess from her mortal body.

Jackie had made her famous shepherd's pie for dinner (If you asked the Doctor, this and tea were the only good things that came out of Jackie Tyler's kitchen). After dinner, Rose and Jackie stayed in the kitchen while the Doctor went back to look at the photo albums.

He enjoyed looking at the pictures of Rose's youth. He enjoyed the story and life behind each moment had been saved. Saved to remember and cherish and laugh and cry and he enjoyed them. It made him with that there had been pictures on Gallifrey, but naturally since the Time Lords were so sure that they could remember anything, they declared to have no use for pictures.

But for now, the pictures of Rose's little family will make him happy, even if he no longer has a family.

J.S.

"So tell me what Mark's like." Rose and her mother sat at the small table in the kitchen drinking tea. Rose really did want to know what this bloke was like. She hadn't heard of his name before and she knew almost everyone how live in the Powell estate. "Did he just move here?"

Jackie took a sip of her tea before relying to Rose. "Yeah, moved in about three months ago after you two came by for my birthday. When he moved in I thought to myself I should make him something to say hello. So I made him some biscuits and after that we kept bumbin' into each other."

"What, like at quiz bowl night?"

"Exactly like quiz bowl night. After about two weeks he asked if I wanted to go to the pub and I thought why not."

"Alright." Rose said. "You didn't answer my first question. What's he like."

Jackie took a moment before answering Rose. "He's funny and sweet Rose. Oh he wants to meet you Rose I told him so much about you. I probably drove him crazy with my stories of when you were a little girl." Rose dreaded to think of what those stories could be about seeing as it was not her greatest moments.

"How are you sweetheart? Really. And don't go on being like him and say you're fine." Jackie scolded Rose when she was going to say just that. She knew that she hadn't gotten the best sleep in the last few days, but she honestly felt fine.

"Mum, I'll be okay, yeah. I just didn't get as much sleep as I would have liked these past few days."

Jackie still looked worry, but what she said next made Rose think that Jackie was more worried about the Doctor now.

"And the Doctor? He was so quiet today. Did something happen to him?" Rose was a little surprised by how attentive Jackie was sometimes. Rose wondered if it came with being a mother, knowing that something is wrong with a child, even if the Doctor is not a child.

"I don't know." And that was it. Rose didn't know what was wrong with the Doctor. Ever since he had heled Nikan that first night, he had been off. Been more distant and it worried Rose. She didn't want him face things alone anymore, not while she was here, and she was planning to be here for a long time. Rose must protect her Doctor. He has to be safe.

"Well you tell him that we're here for him." Jackie gave her a look that Rose wasn't sure what it meant. "It may seem like I don't listen but I do. I know that the Doctor's people are gone and I know that my own pain must pale in comparison with his, but I'll be damned if I let someone suffer alone. So you tell him that he is part of this family and if he ever needs a mother I'll be right here."

To say Rose was stunned would have been an understatement. She knew that the Doctor and her mother would take a bullet for each other, but she didn't know that Jackie would ever consider him family. Finally she knew that look in her mother's eyes. The protection that a mother could only ever possess, the determination that their child will never be hurt, the love that a mother would have for their child until that day they died.

Rose smiled at her mother. Yes, Jackie would make a good mother for the Doctor and Jackie would stop at nothing to keep both her and the Doctor safe.

Jackie sat staring her daughter for a moment before she gathered the empty tea cups. "Best make sure he hasn't broken anything."

Rose understood and went to the living to get the Doctor. What she found was adorable. The Doctor was curled up on the couch. The photo album was still in his lap and his hair was so mussed it defied gravity. His chest rose steadily as he breathed.

Rose went to retrieve the album and put a blanket over him. He seemed to curl up even more in the blankets heat and made a sound that resembles a cat's purr. Rose smiled to herself at how peaceful he looked in sleep. All those years of pain and heartache seemed to vanish to leave him, just him, and to Rose that was a beautiful sight to see.

Reluctantly Rose left to put the album back where it belonged in the hall closet. She closed the door gently as to not disturb the Doctor.

Rose returned to the Doctor and sat next to him on the couch. As if he could sense her presence he leaned into her resting in the space between her neck and shoulder. She started to run her fingers through his hair without noticing, causing the purring noise to start again.

Rose smiled as she felt the vibrations travel though him into her and as he snuggled even closer to her. Rose felt a moment of victory over his actions.

"Told ya you liked to cuddle."

_Authors Note: I really do think that Jackie does consider the Doctor as part of her family and that she would be his mother. Just my opinion though. I don't know when the next update will be since I'm so lazy but there will be an update. I'm am not giving up this story and leaving it incomplete. Until next time._


	7. Chapter 7

Though the Doctor had been unusually quiet at Jackie's it seemed a few days in the TARDIS returned him to his talkative self. In this time they had been able to the largest amusement park, save a planet from invasion and ending up in America meeting two people named Sam and Dean. All in all, it had been a very eventful weekend.

And now Rose was left to her own thoughts.

Rose liked to have some alone time every now and then and the TADIS library was a spot she frequently found herself in. She was looking for something to grab her attention and anything would have worked really, but Rose was still worried about the Doctor.

Except for the times they had encountered the Daleks, she had never seen him so shaken up over something. It worried her greatly that something so small had frightened him and he wouldn't tell her why.

She tried to tell her self it was nothing, the Doctor was just like that. At times he would seem manic, strange- normal to some degree. The Doctor was joy to be around and Rose loved his company. She loved the times when the world wasn't ending and they didn't have to run for their lives and they could just be _them_, The Doctor and Rose Tyler.

Those times when nothing else mattered and his eyes weren't full of pain and secrets, but instead full of joy and laughter. When his presence felt like a warm blanket wrapped around you while you sat by the fire and could sit there forever, never wanting the moment to end.

Of course, nothing lasts forever. Those moments when they were no one would always come to an end. The world would turn dark as hope started to fade. The universe would show its true colours and the world would yell for the Doctor.

A flash of light brought Rose out of her thoughts and she was surprised to find herself seated in a chair. Hadn't she been looking at those books over there? She looked at the ceiling, knowing that the light had come somewhere from the TARDIS. The TARIDS gave a sound of distress and a violent shake, almost throwing Rose out of her chair.

"What was that for then?" The TARIDS only flashed more lights. Rose frowned at the sight. Obviously the TARDIS wanted her for something but unfortunately for both, Rose couldn't understand what the TARDIS wanted exactly. She could only follow the TARDIS' lead as she stood up.

"Alright, where do you want me to go?" Immediately the walls started to close on her. Rose felt a surge of panic as she imagined be crushed into nothing. She took a calming breath, knowing the TARDIS would never hurt her intentionally. She looked around the room to see the walls back in their proper place.

Rose left the library to do the TARDIS' scavenger hunt.

When she stepped outside of the library she was met with complete darkness. She was confused why the TARDIS would lead her to an empty corridor until she caught a sliver of light. The source of the light was small but strong as Rose approached it.

After five minutes of walking in complete darkness and the light getting no closer, Rose stopped in sheer frustration. Why was it taking so long to get where the TARDIS wanted her to be? The TARDIS could be quite frustrating at times, though it was usually the Doctor frustrated with her. Rose on the other hand got along with the TARDIS almost better than the Doctor did.

As if the TARDIS was sensing Rose's frustration (And she probably could) a door to her right opened a crack. It was enough for Rose to know that is was there, but not enough for her see into the room that lay behind said door.

She pushed the door open with a _creak_ as the galley came into view. Unlike the corridor the lights were on and Rose could see the remnants of her and the Doctor's meal. The galley had a calming feel to it. It seemed like those days when Rose went to visit her gran and the smell of cookies was always in the air. Though this was a galley and not a kitchen, it still had that feeling of home to it. She supposed it should feel that way since this was her home.

Rose continued through the galley when another door opened and was met with another corridor. This corridor was much shorter than the other one, however, and the light from the galley poured out. Rose walked past some of the doors and was surprised to find her own door there. As she looked at the door that held her room the light shifted. Another door, across from hers, was the center of the TARDIS' attention.

The door was ajar as Rose came closer to it. Circular designs were on the door, and if Rose was correct, it was Gallifreyan. She took a moment to look at, trying to understand what it says but could not. She pushed the door open a crack, feeling she knew what, or rather, _who_, was in this room.

Rose walked into the room, taking care that the room was not disturbed from the light in the galley. She looked around the room in the dim light, wondering if her suspicions were right.

To the left was a desk covered in papers and books, the chair hold a suit jacket. Two converse shoes were by one of the legs and a pair of glasses sat on the pile of books. There was a bookshelf to the right filled with all types of books. A large selection of hard cover books seemed to be for education, and near the top seemed to the books that were for pleasure.

And in the middle of the room in the bed was the Doctor. He was curled in the blankets in such a way that she didn't know how he planned to get out of them when he woke up. His hair was in complete disarray as it poked out of the covers. She could see his chest moving up and down as he breathed, the occasional twitch of a limb as he dreamed.

But something was off. His head was too close to his chest to be relaxed; his breathing was faster than it should be and the movement of his limbs looked as if they were being restrained by the sheets, wanting to be set free to get away from something. Before Rose could think she found herself instantly at the Doctor's side.

Closer she could see beads of sweat of his brow as he whimpered in his sleep. She sat on the edge of the bed as she started to unravel the sheets from the struggling Time Lord. When his arms were free he started to thrash them around wildly. Fearing that he was going to hurt one of them, Rose grabbed his wrists, holding on tightly so as not to lose her grip.

The Doctor cried out at this new development and doubled his efforts to get away. "No. Stop!" The Doctor shouted and for a moment Rose thought he may be awake. She looked at his face to see his eyes were still closed.

In a desperate attempt to calm him, Rose pulled his body flush with hers. His hands were shoved into his chest as she wrapped her arms around him, their legs tangled together. His head rested on her breast with her heart beating strong for him to hear, somewhere in his mind.

For a minute this seemed to make things worse until he settled against her. She ran her fingers through his hair, trying to soothe him the same way her mother had when she had nightmares. It seemed to do nothing for the Doctor but Rose found that soothed _her _that she could at least do _something._

Rose wasn't sure how long they stayed like that. Minutes? Hours? It seemed to go on for eternity. The Doctor shaking against her in fear, trapped in his own mind and she could do nothing but hold him through the night.

J.S.

When he awoke it was with a small gasp. The Doctor wasn't quite sure where he was when he opened his eyes, and when the mixed with the fear from his night he began to panic. He couldn't move and it was dark and he couldn't breathe-

He heard someone humming softly into his ear and could feel them comb their fingers through his hair. He relaxed at the sensation. He knew where he was. The hum of the TARDIS was all around him, reminding him, _proving _to him that he was home. And Rose! Oh his brilliant Rose was with him, holding him to her.

Sharkerit, Arkytior. Amorese, Sharkerit, Arkytior.

The Doctor was so content to lay in his companions arms he almost fell back into unconsciousness. _Almost_.

He would never put Rose through what happened again, not if he could help it. He should have known, really, that the Umbra Viventis would attack him. He had gone into Nikan's mind after all.

He was used to nightmares. They came almost every time he had to sleep. The only thing that made this experience different was the fact that he didn't wake up. He was fully aware that the TARDIS alerted Rose when he had nightmares, but he was always awake when she got to him.

Not this time.

"Rose," his voice came out quiet and rough from sleep. He felt her shift beneath him, felt her breath across his cheek as she sighed.

"…yeah?"

He wasn't really sure what he wanted to say. Maybe a 'thank you' or 'I love you'. No, he wouldn't say that. After all the lives he destroyed he didn't deserve _love_. He didn't deserve Rose and her kindness, her _compassion_. Not after Gallifrey and the war. Not after his family and countless others.

Damn Umbra Viventis for bringing up memories he wanted to forget. He could feel his through close up with emotion and the sting of tears as his body looked for some sort of release from the buildup of emotions.

He let out a sound half between a choke and a sob. Rose pulled him closer to her.

But no, he wouldn't cry. He may remember the deaths of so many of his companions. He may see the faces of all the people he let down. He may hear the screams of his dying people every second of every day. Smell the fire and smoke that choked them and burned them. Hear the screams of anguish as bonds broke, leaving the minds of so many broken. Feel the fear of the children that had so much hope to do something with their lives only to have it ripped away from them by _him._

"It'll be alright. Shh. It'll be alright." But it wouldn't be alright. Because everything ends and he can't do a damn thing about it! He couldn't save Gallifrey, couldn't save his own family, couldn't save anyone and it _hurt._

The Doctor dissolved into wracking sobs and clinging to Rose. She uttered soothing nothings to him, holding him. His sobs became weeping, and when the tears ran out they became whimpers. She didn't let go of him and neither of them spoke.

They laid there for what felt like hours but were only minutes.

The Doctor got up and sighed, putting his head in his hands. Rose gently placed her hand on his shoulder, rubbing soothing circles into the flesh underneath the cotton of his shirt.

"Hey," the Doctor dropped his hands and looked at Rose, his throat working as he tried to speak, "why don't you get cleaned up and I'll make us some breakfast?" Her voice was gentle. The Doctor nodded, thankful that she was allowing him time to compose himself.

She left, telling him to be in the galley in ten minutes before leaving him to his thoughts. He knew that she would have questions, and would only ask him if she knew he was ready for them, weather he knew that or not. And really, being an emotional wreck is not the best time to question someone.

He took those ten minutes, attempting to calm his emotions. He wasn't sure it worked.

When he entered the galley, he saw Rose had just finished making two cups of tea and some toast. She nodded her head at the chair closest to him which had his Tardis blue mug sitting next to a plate.

He gladly took his cuppa, drinking it too quickly and burning his tongue at the scalding temperature of the liquid. He made a face, and as Rose turned around with a plate stacked high with toast, she 'tsked' at him.

Rose set the plate between him and looked at him. Suddenly he felt very small, cradling his tea to his chest as he lowered his head. He felt like a child who had hidden something from an adult. A child who was being mistreated at school and keeping it from their parent. A student who did not understand the material and go to tutoring. A friend who did not tell their friend that they have nightmares, screaming silently throughout the night.

The Doctor could feel Rose's eyes on him. Not daggering or pitiful, just there. He slowly looked up at her, their eyes meeting. She gave a small smile, a quirk of the lips, and however small he couldn't help but return one as well.

"It's the Umbra Viventis, isn't it." It wasn't a statement but a question and the Doctor nodded. She reached forward trying to touch him, but he was too far away. She rested it between them, letting him decide.

A few moments of silence passed between them. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked. Truly, he hadn't known until recently. They had been hiding from him, but they couldn't hide forever.

"It happened when you helped Nikan that first night," she said, knowing that was the only time the Umbra Viventis could attack. She always was brilliant.

"Yes," he said quietly, staring into her dark brown eyes.

They sat there for another few moments, simply staring into each other's eyes.

"You can let me help," she offered. "We can go back to Aklien and find that berry that helped Nikan, and after this is over…" she trailed off, looking at something past his figure.

"…what," he asked.

She turned her eyes back to his. "We can talk about what goes on in there," she pointed at his head with another small smile. And again he smiled back, placing his hand on top of hers.

"I'd like that,"

J.S.

They stood in the console room as they prepared to head back to Aklien. Rose wasn't sure when they would have their talk, or if the Doctor would even bring it up again. She supposed it didn't matter right now. The memories were too fresh, too raw, to speak about.

She leaned against a support strut as the Doctor inputted the coordinates for Aklien. He looked over at her and smiled. Rose couldn't help but to smile back. He looked back to the controls and pulled the handbrake. Or he would have.

Before Rose knew it she was over by the Doctor, holding him, supporting him, his back to her chest as his knees gave out with a shout of pain. His head had fallen onto her shoulder; his hands gripped over hers were they held onto his middle. He couldn't seem to find his feet as they scrambled below him. She heard him give out a whimper of pain as she dragged him back to the pilot's seat.

They collapsed on the pilot's seat in a heap of limbs. Rose tried to get the Doctor comfortable but nothing seemed to work. She ran her hands gently through his hair, desperately trying to soothe him. He hissed in a breath at the contact and curled in on himself.

"Rose," he whimpered

"Yes Doctor?"

"It hurts," he buried his face in the crook of her neck until he jumped away from her as if he had been burned. His knees still didn't seem to be working as he collapsed on the grating. Rose had hoped his pain would disappear at the lack of skin contact but seemed even the grating caused him pain.

"I know," she said as she watched helplessly at her Time Lord in pain, wondering what she could possibly do.

J.S.

Pain.

Pain.

Pain.

Pain everywhere. The Doctor felt pain _everywhere_. Nothing could relieve. It was burning and all consuming. Why does it hurt? Why won't it stop?

Hands were on him, around his middle. They hurt too, but he couldn't hold himself up from the _pain_ and the hands felt familiar. These hands should never bring him pain. They should remind him of being loved, of being a child wrapped in the warmest blanket. No, they brought pain.

That made him so sad. So, so very sad. He thinks he said her name but he is not quite certain what he is even thinking at the moment. He lays curled on the floor… that he knows, because he can _feel _it. Somewhere in his mind he knows why that is. Something about organic touch overloading the nerve endings and bringing excruciating _pain._

He whimpers when he feels the press of a hand on his shoulder blade. But he can feel the hands pulling him up until he is standing. One hand holds his own with a burning touch and he has the thought of discovering burn marks when he looks at it.

There's the other hand on his waist. Pushing, guiding him somewhere. He can't see where he's going as his vision is blurred. Tears run down his face as he walks with the hands. Why would the loving hands hurt him? Did he do something wrong?

Suddenly there is nothing and he collapses from the relief it brings.

J.S.

Rose was extremely lucky. The Doctor had come with her, though she doesn't know why. This room worked and that was a lucky guess. The Doctor lay curled by her side, panting and whimpering from the resent pain. She did her best to help him, rubbing soothing circles onto his shoulder with her thumb.

Slowly the Doctor's breathing evened out. He lifted his head as if it weighed too much for his neck. His deep brown eyes locked with hers. His eyes were red-rimmed and his cheeks were slightly pink from his crying. He took in one deep breath and said quietly…

"I think we need a new plan,"


	8. Chapter 8

The Doctor went to the library, grabbing books and flipping through the pages. Most he threw over his shoulder onto a desk, but some he kept. Rose stood off to the side, letting him do his mad scientist thing. He was on to something and Rose did not want to get in the way.

He finally pulled out a large book and started to read it. Rose could just barely see the cover. Circles were on the front, and though Rose did not know Gallifreyan, she could read bits and pieces, 'telepaths' and 'humans'.

Rose took a tentative step forward, certain that he was done with throwing books. "…Doctor?"

"Hmm," he responded as he flicked to another page.

"Why are we in the library? I thought we were trying to get rid of the Umbra Viventis,"

"We are,"

To say Rose was confused would be an understatement. Just minutes ago they were going to Aklien and now they are standing in the library.

"Yeah, sorry, bit slow, I didn't get a lot of sleep, how are we getting rid of the Umbra Viventis?" Rose asked, slightly annoyed.

She saw a look of quilt cross over the Doctor's face before he answered her. "The Umbra Viventis could inflict pain on their victims to protect themselves. The sensed that we were going back towards something with 'danger' there. So we can't go back. But we may be able to…"

He started flicking through the pages faster now, his eyes moving in little circles. Rose knew she would not get any more answers from him until he got his own. She went over to the desk with all the books, waiting for him.

After what must have been about ten minutes, Rose had nearly finished staking all the books from largest to smallest when she heard the Doctor speak so quietly that she barely heard him.

"It is possible…"

"What's possible now?" The Doctor looked at her with wide eyes. So many emotions were in those eyes at any given time, but now they seemed to be filled with fear. "What's wrong?" Rose got up from the desk and walked over to the Doctor.

He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. "Well nothing is exactly wrong…" he trailed off as he looked away from her.

"Hey," she put her hand on his cheek as he looked back at her, "you can tell me anything, yeah?"

He nodded his head. "Yeah," he took her hand and led her towards the desk she had just vacated. He sat her down at the chair and put the book in front of her. The pages were full of Circular Gallifreyan, and though it was beautiful to see, Rose could not read any of it.

"A temporary connection can be made,"

Rose had to take a moment to process what that meant. A temporary connection, with _humans_, if she got the title of the book right, was possible. Well, that was huge, but what did it mean. Of course Rose knew what it meant, but what did it mean to _him_? Did they _need _this connection to help him? How could a connection with a human help a _Time Lord?_ Surely only another telepath could help the Doctor, one that knew what they were doing and knew all the unspoken rules of telepathy. Hell, Rose did not know all the _social _rules of the universe let alone ones that involved connecting with someone on that kind of intimate level.

"Why would a connection have to be made?"

"It's the only way that the Umbra Viventis will leave,"

Rose turned around to look at him. "How?"

"It will similar to what I did with Nikan but this will last permanently. The berries that are Aklien, they have a chemical in them, or an antibiotic, _something_ that keeps the Umbra Viventis from attacking the host," he was on a roll now, talking at a pace that Rose dizzy, but she didn't rally mind. It was always nice to see the Doctor in his prime.

"The host of course would be someone who actually ate the berry, like Lilen, She was protected and the Umbra Viventis could sense that. Naturally they would assume that Nikan was protected as well. Bu he wasn't. So they went in for the attack. Then I had to walk in and ruin theirs plans so they attacked me too. But there smart. They waited until I was off the planet, away from what stopped them from attacking, which brings us here,"

The Doctor then looked at Rose, a serious expression on his face. "Rose, you're not telepathic, and I know this is asking a lot from you, but can you please help me?"

Rose looked at him, feeling love swell in her heart. So rarely did the Doctor ask for help.

"Doctor, you don't even have to ask, of course I'll help you,"

The Doctor let out a shaky breath at her response, and Rose could see relief shine in his eyes.

"Thank you,"  
**_**

They were in his bedroom again and Rose couldn't help but think to when they were they were in this room just hours ago with the Doctor crying and clinging to her. She hopped that would never happen again.

They were siting cross legged, and for a split second Rose couldn't help but feel as if she were at a sleep over with one of her friends, about to tell one of her deepest secrets. The Doctor had his fingers on her temples with his eyes closed, and could a tiny smile at the corner of his mouth.

"Do you have any secrets Rose Tyler?" She would have to be more careful.

But Rose couldn't stop herself from thinking that the Doctor's presence in her mind didn't feel like an intrusion, but it felt like she was no longer… _empty_. It sounded cliché, but Rose couldn't give it any other feeling. She wasn't empty. If Rose was found herself feeling like this, then how did the Doctor feel?

She suddenly found herself in a whirlwind of emotions. There was emptiness, fear, pain, _screaming_. All coming from the Doctor. Rose felt like crying at all the raw emotion that the Doctor held inside, but something held them back.

Happiness.

The Doctor was happy. No, he was ecstatic. It was only when he started laughing into her shoulder the Rose realized she was supporting him. There was something about his laugh that didn't sound right though. It was happy, but it had another emotion lying underneath it.

Desperation.

At that moment Rose truly learned how much this meant for the Doctor. For the first time in months, years, the Doctor had feeling. Not his feeling, but someone else's. For once, in a long time, the Doctor could feel whole again. He could pretend that the chasm left from his people was full and brimming with life.

Rose could feel tears falling onto her shirt. The loneliness and emptiness that he had to feel, silenced for just a little while. Rose would give anything for the Doctor. So she held him while he cried.

Finally he sat up and wiped the tears from him face. "Sorry," he said, not looking her in the eyes.

"Hey," she put a hand on his cheek; bring him eye level with herself. His eyes were guarded, but she could feel his emotions, "you have nothing to be sorry for." She sent him feelings of love and hoped that he could feel them.

He gave a sharp inhalation of breath and nodded. Rose stroked her fingers against his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, giving a soft exhale of content.

"Are you ready?" she asked. He gave a slight nod and Rose could feel them falling into unconsciousness.  
_

Rose found herself in a place she did not recognize, but she could take a guess as to where she was.

Gallifrey.

The sky was a burnt orange and the grass a deep shade of red. Two suns could be seen, hitting the mountains before her, and the forest was singing, glowing from the suns. She turned and could see at the foot of a mountain was a home. She walked towards it, trying to find the Doctor.

She reached the doors of the house. They were carved with Gallifreyan, swirling in front of her eyes. There did not seem to be a way to pull the doors open, so Rose knocked on the ancient wood. The door swung in an inch, and Rose could hear the sound of laughter coming from inside.

She pushed the door open completely and was greeted with a long corridor. Rose entered and the swung closed behind her loudly, but no one came out to see what had caused the noise. She walked slowly down the corridor, noting all the pictures that hung on the walls. But what really struck Rose about the pictures was that they were all children.

All of them looked to be about eight years old, beaming smiles like she had never seen on a child. The laughter continued, and abandoning the pictures, Rose went to see where the laughter was coming from.

In a large room stood multiple figures. They were all mingling with each other, drinking what looked to be wine and laughing in a polite way, not too loud, not too quite. But the laughter Rose was looking for came from a room connected to this one. She moved her way through the crowd, trying not to disturb anyone, but no one seemed to notice her.

She came to what looked to be a children's room. Everywhere she looked there were children of all ages running around, playing with each other. Numerous toys were strewn across the room but the children were not deterred but this.

Through all the chaos Rose could see one child. A lonesome little boy sat in the corner, holding a stuffed animal to his chest, staring into the throng of children with longing. He curled into himself more, and Rose felt her heart ache for the little boy.

She suddenly felt a presence behind her. She did not turn around to see who it was, she already knew. She put her hand behind her, needing to feel him. She felt his hand grasp hers, and she pulled him forward so he was standing next to her.

"I never had the best childhood." Rose did not need to ask what he meant. She could see him, alone in a corner, not accepted by those closest to him. She could feel her heart go out to him, and wanted nothing more than to hold them, but they had things to do. So instead she tightened her grip on his hand.

He led her out of the room with the children, out of the room with the chatting adults, and out of the house that he once called home. The scenery had changed, and stars shone above their heads, bright in the darkness. Winds blew coolly threw her hair, and though she knew that this was only one of his memories, she felt relaxed at being here.

She opened her eyes, not realizing they had been closed. She could see in the distance three figures. Two were sitting on what looked to be a quilt; the third was running through the grass, catching what looked to be fireflies. The two figures quietly laughed as the small figure fell down in the grass.

"Popsé, carme meun usa!" the small figure shouted from the grass. One of the other two stood up and went to over. From where she was, Rose could see that the figure was male as he picked up the small child. She could hear peals of laughter come from the child and chuckles came from who she could only guess to be the father.

The father picked the boy up onto his shoulders and pointed at the stars. She could hear the words drift on the wind in a language that was long dead. If only she knew what he was saying… maybe she would understand the Doctor better. Maybe she would know why he had such wanderlust for universe, even at his lowest. Or perhaps none of that mattered; the only thing that mattered was a boy who wanted to change the world.

She could feel time ticking away, as if she had gained some of the Doctor's time sense, or he was sharing it with her. She knew they had to find the Umbra Viventis, but she did not know the first thing to dealing with them. Hopefully the Doctor would be able to help her.

The memories continued to shift. Rose saw the Doctor become who he is today. She saw all the sleepless nights he had at the academy, saw all he trouble he got into with the Master, saw the day he graduated and finally became a Time Lord.

She saw his grief at the death of family members and saw the joy of new ones. She saw him first meet the TARDIS and take to the stars. She saw him fall to Earth with Susan, his granddaughter, and all the life Rose could see shining in her eyes, the same as the Doctor. Rose saw all the friends the Doctor made over the years, and felt as she knew them as well.

Rose saw the Doctor's first love, a Time Lady named Romana, who she thought she would have gotten along with if given the chance to meet her. She saw the deaths of former companions and felt her heart break not only them but also for the Doctor.

Rose fell more in love with the Doctor's world at what he showed her. Rose fell more in love with the Doctor that he trusted her enough to show her what his life was before she joined him on the TARDIS. What his life is with her on TARDIS, and will be for a long time. Love and heartbreak would always follow the Doctor, but he was strong, and the memories of those he knew would always keep him fighting.

Rose saw the Time War all the destruction it had caused. The Time Lords, who became no better than the Daleks, destroyed thousands of worlds. Millions screaming in fire and ash, looking for loved ones that were never to come back. Soldiers held families captive, searching for answers that they swear they did not have.

Rose held the Doctor as the memories came and went. Laughed with him and cried with him, holding his hand to tell him she would always be there for him. She told him words of comfort when the pain became too much for him and promised that as long as she lived she would not let anything hurt him again.

Rose could feel all of the Doctor's emotions in all the memories the Doctor showed her. She found herself understanding what made the Doctor the Doctor. A little boy who grew up to become something more than anyone could have known.

Eventually silence fell and they were back in the meadow in grass the colour of scarlet. They sat side by side, watching stars that were long gone. Rose continued to hold the Doctor, his head resting on her shoulder, his breathing slow and eyes closed.

Rose could feel his exhaustion at having to make the connection and showing her all of his memories. She could fell his emotions dancing in her head and she thought there would never be a more beautiful felling. A song played in her head that she knew was the Doctor, was their way of speaking, not with words but with music.

Roe felt that she should not break the silence that has fallen, but she had to ask.

"What happened to the Umbra Viventis?" she asked quietly. The Doctor made no movement or sound to indicate that he had heard her question, but she knew he heard.

His answer did not come vocally, but inside. The song that had been playing in her head had quieted, still there but in the background. She did get words for her answers, but emotions and pictures and she knew what they meant.

Rose had happened. Her presence in his darkest moments, the ones that gave him nightmares, she was there, physically, emotionally and mentally. She had been able to do what none of the Akliens were able to. Their telepathy had not been strong enough to go to this intimate level. But they would, with time.

This was how the people of Gallifrey connected. Not with rings and vows, or words of passion in the dead of night or pledging undying loyalty to those closest. They _bonded_ with each other. A level of _knowing_ people and becoming that _intimate_ that so many did not have the pleasure so reach.

Rose felt honored to share this intimacy with the Doctor that he had shared with his own people. His loved ones, his family and friends that had always been with him, even if only memories now.

The world around them began to disappear, and the next thing Rose knew she was lying in bed. The Doctor lay across from her, his eyes closed and moving behind his eyelids, dreaming. Rose laid there for what felt like forever, perfectly content to watch the Doctor sleep. His chest rose softly and rhythmically, almost prompting Rose to fall into the world of sleep as well.

A change in his breathing alerted her that he was waking up. His eyes opened slowly, and she swore his eyes glowed golden, if only for a second. They lay there, simply gazing into each other's eyes. Rose could still fell the buzz of the bond in her head and hear the Doctor's song playing quietly.

"Why did you show me all your memories?" Rose knew he did not have to show her everything, yet he did. Rose was not complaining at knowing more about him, but none the less found herself curious as to why he would show her such an open and vulnerable side to him.

She saw emotions flicker not only in his expressive eyes, but in her mind as well. There were so many reasons for why he showed her, and so many emotions go with those reasons and words just could not be found.

He smiled slowly, and Rose found herself smiling back.

"I wanted you to know who I am," he said, softly.

"I already know who you are," she replied, but she knew what he meant.

"I know," he replied.

They continued to lie there, not speaking, but sharing. They shared their life with each other, telling stories about when they were children and some of their not to greatest moments. To anyone else, it would look like two mates simply talking. But this was different.

This was the Doctor and Rose. They talked about what _mattered_ to them. The friends they had and the family they hated; the people at school who bullied them and the teachers who gave them a hard time. They talked about what they kept inside for _so long_. But with them, it came with ease. They talked about everything and nothing.

And through everything, the bond stayed.


End file.
